Proof of the law of quadratic reciprocity by counting lattice points
Builds on Legendre symbolEisenstein's lemmaFloor functionEuclid's lemma
Proof
- Let and be distinct odd primes, and . Put and .
- Since , Eisenstein's lemma gives with , over the even with .
- For , the number is not an integer, by Euclid's lemma. For a non-integer and an integer , , by the definition of the floor function.
- Let be even with , and put . Then is odd and . By step 3, .
- Since is even, .
- Every arises exactly once: an even from , and an odd from the even number .
- So , and . Exchanging the roles of and gives .
- Let be the set of integer points with and . It has points.
- No point of satisfies . Otherwise , so by Euclid's lemma, which is impossible for .
- Fix with . Since is not an integer, the integers with are .
- Also , so . Hence the points of with number .
- In the same way, the points of with number .
- By steps 9, 11 and 12, .
- So the Legendre symbols satisfy .
Idea
Eisenstein's lemma writes as to a sum of floors, which counts lattice points under the line . Swapping and counts the points on the other side of the same line. Together they fill a rectangle with points, since no point lies on the line.
Reading path
To understand this page from the ground up, read these 116 pages in order. The foundations come first. The path takes the proofs Proof of Bézout's identity, Proof of cancellation in an integral domain, Proof of the approximation property of the supremum, Proof of Gauss's lemma on quadratic residues, Proof of the generalized Euclid's lemma, Proof of Eisenstein's lemma, Proof of the commutativity of addition by induction, Proof of Fermat's little theorem by rearrangement, Proof of Euclid's lemma, Proof that R[x] is an integral domain iff R is, Proof that the reals form an ordered field, with the Cauchy sequence construction, Proof of the degree of a product over an integral domain, Proof of strong induction from ordinary induction, Proof that the integers modulo a prime form a field, Proof that congruence is compatible with addition, Proof of Euler's criterion by counting quadratic residues, Proof that a polynomial over a field has at most as many roots as its degree, Proof of the remainder theorem, Proof that congruence is compatible with multiplication, Proof of the well-ordering principle from strong induction, Proof of the division algorithm, Proof that the reals are Archimedean from the completeness axiom, Proof of the factor theorem, Proof that congruence is compatible with powers.
- Construction of the reals from Cauchy sequences concept
- Definition by recursion concept
- Divisibility definition
- Element definition
- Group concept
- Integers object
- Mathematical induction concept
- Natural numbers object
- Ordered field definition
- Peano axioms concept
- Proposition concept
- Rational numbers object
- Real numbers object
- Set bounded above definition
- Congruence modulo n definition
- Greatest common divisor definition
- Prime number definition
- Set definition
- Ring definition
- Ring of integers statement
- Archimedean ordered field definition
- Successor function definition
- Implication definition
- Predicate definition
- The reals form a field statement
- Supremum definition
- Quadratic residue definition
- Residue class definition
- Coprime integers definition
- Proof that congruence is compatible with addition proof
- Proof that congruence is compatible with multiplication proof
- Ordered pair definition
- Commutative ring definition
- Polynomial ring definition
- Ring homomorphism definition
- Unit of a ring definition
- Zero divisor definition
- Addition of natural numbers definition
- The rationals form a field statement
- The successor function is injective statement
- Zero is not a successor statement
- Universal quantifier definition
- Completeness axiom statement
- Legendre symbol definition
- Congruence is compatible with addition statement
- Congruence is compatible with multiplication statement
- Cartesian product definition
- Divisibility in a commutative ring definition
- Degree of a polynomial definition
- Polynomial evaluation definition
- Subset definition
- Field definition
- Integral domain definition
- Proof of the commutativity of addition by induction proof
- Order on the natural numbers definition
- The rationals form an ordered field statement
- Integers modulo n definition
- Proof that congruence is compatible with powers proof
- Binary relation definition
- Leading coefficient definition
- Order on the reals definition
- Root of a polynomial definition
- Proof of cancellation in an integral domain proof
- Evaluation homomorphism definition
- Commutativity of addition statement
- Proof of strong induction from ordinary induction proof
- Congruence is compatible with powers statement
- Antisymmetric relation definition
- Reflexive relation definition
- Transitive relation definition
- Monic polynomial definition
- Multiplicity of a root definition
- Proof of the degree of a product over an integral domain proof
- Proof of the remainder theorem proof
- Cancellation in an integral domain statement
- Strong induction statement
- Preorder definition
- Division algorithm for polynomials statement
- Degree of a product statement
- Proof of the well-ordering principle from strong induction proof
- Partial order definition
- Remainder theorem statement
- Proof that R[x] is an integral domain iff R is proof
- Well-ordering principle statement
- Total order definition
- Proof of the division algorithm proof
- Proof of the factor theorem proof
- R[x] is an integral domain iff R is statement
- Division algorithm statement
- Factor theorem statement
- Proof that the reals form an ordered field, with the Cauchy sequence construction proof
- Proof of Bézout's identity proof
- Proof that a polynomial over a field has at most as many roots as its degree proof
- The reals form an ordered field statement
- Bézout's identity statement
- A polynomial over a field has at most as many roots as its degree statement
- Proof of the approximation property of the supremum proof
- Proof of the generalized Euclid's lemma proof
- Proof that the integers modulo a prime form a field proof
- Approximation property of the supremum statement
- Integers modulo a prime form a field statement
- Generalized Euclid's lemma statement
- Proof that the reals are Archimedean from the completeness axiom proof
- Proof of Euclid's lemma proof
- The reals are Archimedean statement
- Euclid's lemma statement
- Floor function definition
- Proof of Fermat's little theorem by rearrangement proof
- Fermat's little theorem statement
- Proof of Euler's criterion by counting quadratic residues proof
- Euler's criterion statement
- Proof of Gauss's lemma on quadratic residues proof
- Proof of Eisenstein's lemma proof
- Gauss's lemma on quadratic residues statement
- Eisenstein's lemma statement
- Proof of the law of quadratic reciprocity by counting lattice points proof
Where this leads
11 pages build on this one.
Further reading
- Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proofs_of_quadratic_reciprocity, Eisenstein's proof
About this page
| Tag | AAVMMKTYNX |
|---|---|
| URI | m2://AAVMMKTYNX |
| Kind | proof |
| Writing | W0 stub |
| MSC | 11A15 |
| Proves | Law of quadratic reciprocity |
| Uses | Legendre symbol, Eisenstein's lemma, Floor function, Euclid's lemma |
| Changed | 4 November 2026 |
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