A ‘Grand Unified Theory’ of Math Just Got a Little Bit Closer
1 min read
Summary
A team of four mathematicians have proved the correspondence between elliptic curves and modular forms can be extended to more complicated mathematical equations called abelian surfaces, which could help mathematicians solve a range of open questions.
Elliptic curves, a type of equation that uses just two variables, have solutions that are central to many important questions in number theory.
Modular forms, highly symmetric functions in an area of mathematical study called analysis, can be easier for mathematicians to work with, providing insights into elliptic curves.
The correspondence between elliptic curves and modular forms was proved by mathematicians Andrew Wiles and Richard Taylor as part of their 1994 proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem, a long-unsolved puzzle in number theory.
Proving this correspondence has formed the foundation of the Langlands program, a set of conjectures aimed at developing a “grand unified theory” of mathematics, which could enable mathematicians to jump between different mathematical worlds to answer questions.
