ID 1129648
Lot 30 | First editions of four major papers on Kummer’s theory of ideal prime factors
Estimate value
$ 500 – 800
First editions of four major papers on Kummer’s theory of ideal prime factors in relation to Fermat’s Last Theorem. Kummer, a German mathematician and teacher, had realized that attempts to prove Fermat’s Last Theorem broke down because the unique factorization of integers did not extend to other rings of complex numbers; thus he sought to restore the uniqueness of factorization by introducing ‘ideal’ numbers. Not only have his papers been fundamental in work relating to Fermat’s Last Theorem, but the concept of an ideal enabled the development of ring theory and much of abstract algebra.
The Paris Academy of Sciences awarded Kummer the Grand Prize in 1857 for the second paper. In fact, the prize of 3000 francs was originally offered for a solution to Fermat’s Last Theorem—but when no solution was forthcoming, it was given to Kummer (even though he had not submitted an entry for the Prize). The third paper develops general reciprocity theory and prime factorization, and the last paper presents two new proofs of the general reciprocity theory.
Four volumes, quarto (c. 287 x 233mm). Original brown printed wrappers (occasional chipping, hinges just starting on 2 vols).
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