The first case of Fermat's last theorem (Q5902865)

The author surveys his proof with \textit{L. M. Adleman} and \textit{E. Fouvry} contained in the union of the two papers [Invent. Math. 79, 409-416 (1985; Zbl 0557.10034), ibid. 79, 383-407 (1985; Zbl 0557.10035)] that the ''First Case'' of Fermat's equation \(x^ p+y^ p=z^ p\); \(p\nmid xyz\) has, for infinitely many primes p, no solutions in natural numbers x,y,z. The article is written in such a way as to be accessible to the reader with little (or no) previous acquaintance with the relevant parts of the theory of numbers.