Student Number Theory Seminar

Wednesday, July 8, 2015 2:30 pm - 2:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Samin Riasat, Pure Math Department, University of Waterloo

“Division by subtraction, and ordered groups”

We study the interconnection between the facts: (i) the gcd of several integers is their least positive Z-linear combination; and (ii) all solutions of a Pell equation are obtained from powers of the minimal solution. We exploit the idea of division by repeated subtraction incorporated into both facts and derive a general result using ordered groups. We use this result to solve a generalised Pell equation. No prior knowledge other than the definition of a group will be assumed; everything else will be defined and derived from scratch.

MC 5479