diophantine equation

or Diophantine equation

noun

, Mathematics.

1. an equation involving more than one variable in which the coefficients of the variables are integers and for which integral solutions are sought.

Diophantine equation

/ ˌdaɪəʊˈfæntaɪn /

noun

1. (in number theory) an equation in more than one variable and with integral coefficients, for which integral solutions are sought

Diophantine equation

1. A type of indeterminate equation in which the coefficients are integers, studied to determine all integral solutions.

Word History and Origins

Origin of diophantine equation¹

1925–30; named after Diophantus, 3rd-century a.d. Greek mathematician; -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of diophantine equation¹

C18: after Diophantus , Greek mathematician of the 3rd century ad

Example Sentences

Imagine, for any Diophantine equation of the infinite set of such equations a machine that can tell whether it can be solved.

From Scientific American

Hilbert’s 10th problem, one of the challenges David Hilbert issued to the mathematics community in 1900, asked whether there was a universal algorithm that could look at any Diophantine equation and decide whether it had whole number solutions or not.

From Scientific American