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Generalized Fermat Equation


A generalized Fermat equation is a generalization of the equation whose solution is desired in Fermat's last theorem

 x^n+y^n=z^n

to

 x^n+y^n=cz^n

for positive integers x, y, z, and n, with c a fixed positive integer parameter and trivial solutions having x=0, y=0, or z=0 excluded.

n=1 is trivial to solve by taking x=y=c and z=2. n=2 is more difficult, but can be solved by noting that solutions exist iff c can be written as a sum of two squares of nonnegative integers. The first such values of c are 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 25, 26, ... (OEIS A001481).


See also

Fermat's Last Theorem, Square Number

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References

Finch, S. "On a Generalized Fermat-Wiles Equation." https://web.archive.org/web/20010602030546/http://www.mathsoft.com/asolve/fermat/fermat.html.Sloane, N. J. A. Sequence A001481/M0968 in "The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences."

Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha

Generalized Fermat Equation

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Generalized Fermat Equation." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/GeneralizedFermatEquation.html

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