Factorization and congruence in the arithmetics of Cayley's algebra (Q3976904)

This paper treats prime factorization and congruence in the arithmetics of Cayley's algebra \(C\). The main results are devoted to the problem of finding the number of factorizations of a prescribed element in the maximal arithmetics \(J_W\). As examples we state the following theorems: (i) Any element \(\xi\in J_W\) of odd norm is congruent mod 2 in \(J_W\) to an element, unique apart from sign, of norm 1 of \(J_W\). (ii) Any element \(\eta\in J_W\) of even norm is congruent mod 2 in \(J_W\) to the sum of two elements of \(J_W\) of norm 1 or to zero. (iii) Any element \(\xi\in J_W\) with \(N\xi=mn\), where \(m\) and \(n\) are positive rational integers such that \((m,n)=1\), has precisely 240 different factorizations \(\eta_1\cdot\eta_2\) in \(J_W\) for which \(N\eta_1=m\) and \(N\eta_2=n\). For proving the results methods of \textit{R. A. Rankin} [Duke Math. J. 13, 281--306 (1946; Zbl 0061.07708)] are used.