Math mystery: Solved! Fermat's last theorem

Calling all geeks and treasure hunters. Chai and Why, Prithvi Theatre's monthly forum of scientific discussions outside fuddy-duddy classroom confines, takes you behind the story of the last unsolved theorem by 17th century French mathematician Fermat.

Professor MS Ragunathan, one of India's most prominent mathematicians and a holder of the Home Bhabha chair at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), will unravel the mystery of Fermat's last theorem, which was resolved 350 years after Pierre de Fermat wrote a cryptic note claiming that he had proved it, on a book margin.

Fermat's Last Theorem states that no three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation an+bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than two.

Several mathematicians unsuccessfully tried to prove, and even disprove, the proof.

The hunt for the treasure ended in 1994 with a solution by Andrew Wiles of Princeton University. Find out how, complete with clues, discussions, and of course, chai.

At: Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir, Juhu, Vile Parle (W), 11 am