Publisher's Synopsis
This 2-volume set (Fermat's Last Theorem: Basic Tools and Fermat's Last Theorem: The Proof) presents in full detail the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem given by Wiles and Taylor. With these two books, the reader will be able to see the whole picture of the proof to appreciate one of the deepest achievements in the history of mathematics.Crucial arguments, including the so-called 3-5 trick, R=T theorem, etc., are explained in depth. The proof relies on basic background materials in number theory and arithmetic geometry, such as elliptic curves, modular forms, Galois representations, deformation rings, modular curves over the integer rings, Galois cohomology, etc. The first four topics are crucial for the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem; they are also very important as tools in studying various other problems in modern algebraic number theory. In order to facilitate understanding the intricate proof, an outline of the whole argument is described in the first preliminary chapter of the first volume.
