University of Georgia
Mathematics Department Colloquium
John Friedlander
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, University of
Toronto
February 18, 1999
Prime values of polynomials
Abstract: Given an irreducible polynomial with integer coefficients
it is an interesting problem to try to prove whether or not the
polynomial is a prime number for infinitely many integer values
of the variable(s). Despite a long history, relatively few cases
have been settled. In this talk we survey some of that history
and then go on to describe a number of the ideas behind recent
joint work with Henryk Iwaniec which yield new progress on this
question.
Most of this talk should be accessible to undergraduates who
are specialist students in mathematics.