Small solutions to a given quadratic form with a variable modulus

DOI10.1016/0022-314X(92)90108-2MaRDI QIDQ1208157zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors David Grant

Publication date 16 May 1993

Published in Journal of Number Theory (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-314x(92)90108-2

zbMATH Keywords

congruenceintegral quadratic formsmall solutions

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Congruences in many variables (11D79) Analytic theory (Epstein zeta functions; relations with automorphic forms and functions) (11E45)

Review text

Let \(Q\) be an integral quadratic form in 4 or more variables. It is conjectured that there is an absolute constant \(c\), such that for any modulus \(m\) there is a nontrivial solution of \(Q(x_ 1,\dots,x_ n)\equiv 0\pmod m\), having \(\| {\mathbf x}\|\leq c\sqrt m\). This was proved by \textit{T. Cochrane} [J. Number Theory 37, 92-99 (1991; Zbl 0713.11031)] for prime values of \(m\), but the general case remains in doubt. The present paper shows that the required estimate holds for positive definite forms, providing one allows \(c\) to depend on \(Q\). The proof, which is quite straightforward, uses modular forms. It seems to the reviewer that the result is also an easy consequence of a theorem of \textit{B. J. Birch} and \textit{H. Davenport} [Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 54, 135-138 (1958; Zbl 0081.044)], from which it follows that if \(\sum^ n_{i=1}a_ ix^ 2_ i=0\) has a nontrivial solution then there is such a solution with \(\sum^ n_{i=1}| a_ i| x^ 2_ i\ll_ n\prod| a_ i|\). Since we can clearly diagonalize \(Q\) in the present problem, the above result may be applied to the form \(Q({\mathbf x})-mx^ 2_{n+1}\), to obtain the required estimate. Indeed one sees that \(Q\) need not be positive definite.

Recommendations

• On Cochrane's estimate for small zeros of quadratic forms modulo p
• Small zeros of quadratic forms modulo p.
• Small solutions of quadratic congruences
• Small zeros of quadratic forms mod p^2
• Small zeros of quadratic forms modulo p. III

Cites work

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 4019155 (Why is no real title available?)
• Small solutions of quadratic congruences
• Small solutions of quadratic congruences and small fractional parts of quadratic forms
• Small zeros of quadratic congruences modulo pq
• Small zeros of quadratic forms modulo p. III

Cited in

(6)

• On Cochrane's estimate for small zeros of quadratic forms modulo p
• On pairs of cubic Diophantine inequalities
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1303120 (Why is no real title available?)
• On small zeros of quadratic forms over finite fields (II)
• Small Solutions of ϕ₁x₁² + . . . + ϕ_nx_n² = 0
• ON SMALL VARIATION FORMULAS

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