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Ternary Diophantine Equations via Galois Representations and Modular Forms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Michael A. Bennett
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2
Chris M. Skinner
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Abstract

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In this paper, we develop techniques for solving ternary Diophantine equations of the shape $A{{x}^{n}}+B{{y}^{n}}=C{{z}^{2}}$, based upon the theory of Galois representations and modular forms. We subsequently utilize these methods to completely solve such equations for various choices of the parameters $A,\,B\,\text{and}\,\text{C}$. We conclude with an application of our results to certain classical polynomial-exponential equations, such as those of Ramanujan–Nagell type.

Keywords

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Mathematical Society 2004

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