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  • © 2014

The Problem of Catalan

  • Extensively covers the Catalan Conjecture and Mihailescu’s subsequent proof

  • Includes thorough exposition of cyclotomic fields

  • Provides a bridge between number theory and classical analysis

  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
  2. A Historical Account

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 1-9
  3. Even Exponents

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 11-25
  4. Cassels’ Relations

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 27-35
  5. Cyclotomic Fields

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 37-48
  6. Dirichlet L-Series and Class Number Formulas

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 49-63
  7. Higher Divisibility Theorems

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 65-73
  8. Gauss Sums and Stickelberger’s Theorem

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 75-95
  9. Mihăilescu’s Ideal

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 97-115
  10. The Real Part of Mihăilescu’s Ideal

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 117-128
  11. Cyclotomic Units

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 129-134
  12. Selmer Group and Proof of Catalan’s Conjecture

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 135-144
  13. The Theorem of Thaine

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 145-158
  14. Baker’s Method and Tijdeman’s Argument

    • Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte
    Pages 159-233
  15. Back Matter

    Pages 235-245

About this book

In 1842 the Belgian mathematician Eugène Charles Catalan asked whether 8 and 9 are the only consecutive pure powers of non-zero integers. 160 years after, the question was answered affirmatively by the Swiss mathematician of Romanian origin Preda Mihăilescu. In other words, 32 – 23 = 1 is the only solution of the equation xpyq = 1 in integers x, y, p, q with xy ≠ 0 and p, q 2.

In this book we give a complete and (almost) self-contained exposition of Mihăilescu’s work, which must be understandable by a curious university student, not necessarily specializing in Number Theory. We assume a very modest background:a standard university course of algebra, including basic Galois theory, and working knowledge of basic algebraic number theory.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Institute of Mathematics of Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux and CNRS, Talence, France

    Yuri F. Bilu

  • IRMA, Mathematical Institute, University of Strasbourg and CNRS, Strasbourg, France

    Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Problem of Catalan

  • Authors: Yuri F. Bilu, Yann Bugeaud, Maurice Mignotte

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10094-4

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematics and Statistics (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-10093-7Published: 27 October 2014

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-36255-7Published: 10 September 2016

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-10094-4Published: 09 October 2014

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIV, 245

  • Number of Illustrations: 3 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Number Theory, General Algebraic Systems, Algebra

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access