Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / ii / Paper 3 / 11G (Number Theory)

Write an integral binary quadratic form as $[a,b,c]=a{x}^2+bxy+c{y}^2$, with discriminant of a binary quadratic form $D=b^2-4ac$. It is positive definite when $a>0$ and $D<0$. Two forms are equivalent if one is obtained from the other by an integral linear change of variables whose matrix lies in ${\mathrm{SL}}_2(\mathbb{Z})$. A positive definite form is reduced whenwith $b\ge 0$ when $|b|=a$ or $a=c$.

To reduce a form, apply a unimodular shear $x\mapsto x+ny$ with $n$ chosen so that the new middle coefficient has $|b^{\prime }|\le a$. If the new final coefficient $c^{\prime }$ is smaller than $a$, exchange the variables, using a determinant-one rotation, so that the positive leading coefficient decreases from $a$ to $c^{\prime }$. Repeating must stop because a positive integer cannot decrease indefinitely. At termination $|b|\le a\le c$, and elementary sign changes impose the boundary convention. This is the reduction algorithm for a positive definite binary quadratic form, and proves that every positive definite form is equivalent to a reduced one.

The displayed forms have discriminant $1-36=-35$, so the intended discriminant is $-35$. For any reduced form of this discriminant, enumeration of reduced binary quadratic forms givesThe boundary convention and direct checking of $a=1,2,3$ leave only

Suppose first that a prime $p>7$ is represented by $f_1$. The identityshows modulo both $5$ and $7$ that $4p$ is a nonzero square. HenceSimilarly,Modulo $5$, this says $2p$ is a square, while modulo $7$ it says $5p$ is a square. Since $(2/5)=(5/7)=-1$, the multiplicativity of the Legendre symbol gives

Conversely, suppose the two displayed Legendre symbols have the same sign. By quadratic reciprocity,Choose an odd integer $B$ satisfying $B^2\equiv -35(\mathrm{mod}p)$. Since $B$ is odd, $B^2+35$ is also divisible by $4$, sois a positive definite integral form of discriminant $-35$ that represents $p$. Reducing $F$ yields either $f_1$ or $f_2$, and equivalence preserves represented integers. The necessary symbol calculation above determines which one: the positive pair selects $f_1$, and the negative pair selects $f_2$. Therefore