The Last Theorem, a novel by
Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl
"The Last Theorem is a story of one man’s mathematical obsession, and a celebration of the human spirit and the scientific method. It is also a gripping intellectual thriller….
In 1637, the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat scrawled a note in the margin of a book about an enigmatic theorem: 'I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.' He also neglected to record his proof elsewhere. Thus began a search for the Holy Grail of mathematics– a search that didn’t end until 1994, when Andrew Wiles published a 150-page proof. But the proof was burdensome, overlong, and utilized mathematical techniques undreamed of in Fermat’s time, and so it left many critics unsatisfied– including young Ranjit Subramanian, a Sri Lankan with a special gift for mathematics and a passion for the famous 'Last Theorem.'
When Ranjit writes a three-page proof of the theorem that relies exclusively on knowledge available to Fermat, his achievement is hailed as a work of genius, bringing him fame and fortune…."
For a similar third-world fantasy about another famous theorem, see the oeuvre of Ashay Dharwadker.
Note the amazing conclusion of Dharwadker's saga (thus far)–
Dharwadker devises a proof of the four-color theorem that leads to…
of the Standard Model
with Quantum Gravity!
and Usenet Postings.
For another connection with Sri Lanka, see
