An L-function is an arithmetic function given initially by a Dirichlet series and often an Euler product, with analytic continuation and a functional equation in important cases. Dirichlet L-functions and L-functions of cusp forms are basic examples; p-adic L-functions interpolate suitably modified special values.
L-functions are a broad class of complex functions that arise in number theory and are connected to various areas of mathematics, including algebraic geometry, representation theory, and mathematical physics. The concept of an L-function is primarily associated with the study of prime numbers and solutions to polynomial equations, and they encapsulate deep properties of arithmetic objects.
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