Chennai Mathematical Institute

Seminars




Lecture Announcement
Date and Time: 7: 00 pm (Indian Standard Time), 10th March, 2023.
Forgotten Indian Techniques to solve the Pell’s equations

T. Raghavasimhan

10-03-23


Abstract

Indian Mathematicians have treated Pell's equations in great detail ever since around 500 CE. Indeed, starting from the Bhavana method by Brahmagupta to Chakravala by Acarya Jayadeva, there has been a continuous evolution in techniques to solve this equation. Of these techniques, two in particular, one by Sridhara to find rational solutions to Pell's equations and another by Jayadeva to solve the generalized Pell's equations have largely been forgotten. These techniques have some interesting properties, which when explored properly have the potential for great research. This talk explores these two techniques and uses their properties to show a few new ideas which might even help to achieve faster convergence in finding integer solutions to Pell's equations.