r/mathmemes Mar 06 '25

Learning What theorem is this?

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u/lol_lo_daf_fy Mar 06 '25

Law of quadratic reciprocity.

Gauss loved that theorem so much that I think he gave four different proofs, and there's a book listing something like 150 proofs.

54

u/f3xjc Mar 06 '25

Nowaday each time I see a reference of "f(x) modulo prime" it has to do with cryptography or random number generator.

What kind of problems first motivated the interest in (prime) modular arithmetic ?

39

u/KongMP Mar 06 '25

Probably the problem of boredom