Let be a positive square-free integer congruent to two modulo four and a prime. If does not divide and , then has no positive integer solution. More generally, if and , the two conjugate principal ideals are coprime. Parity excludes a shared prime above two; for an odd common prime, divisibility of both conjugates would force the underlying rational prime to divide both and , giving valuation one on the left side, incompatible with a th power.
Unique prime ideal factorization consequently gives . The class-number condition forces principal; the only units are , both odd powers. Hence . When and , the coefficient of on the right is divisible by : its linear term has coefficient , and every higher odd term contains . It cannot equal one. Conversely, an actual solution under these conditions forces divisibility of the class number by . For example proves .
Articles by others on the same topic
There are currently no matching articles.