Overview

German mathematician Gerd Faltings (1954- ) proved Mordell's conjecture in 1983, an accomplishment that earned him the prestigious Fields Medal, mathematics' highest honor. His method of altering a familiar geometric theorem into algebraic terms led him to solve the complex geometric theorem proposed by Louis Mordell in 1922. His success in proving this conjecture has contributed to the advancement of the studies of algebra and geometry.

Background

Faltings has been awarded many honors in his lifetime. Most notable is his receipt of the distinguished Fields Medal, which he received in 1986. Faltings earned this honor because he proved Mordell's conjecture using algebraic geometry. The conjecture that Louis Mordell (1888-1972) initiated in 1922 stated that a given set of algebraic equations with rational coefficients defining an algebraic curve of n greater than or equal to 2 must have only a finite number...