Most famous for FermatsLastTheorem, but also known for his "little" theorem, which says that
a^p=a(mod p).
This was generalised by Euler to
a^phi(n)=1(mod n) for (a,n)=1
which is the basis of the RSA cryptosystem.
Work by Fermat is also said to have inspired IsaacNewton in his invention of calculus.
- http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Fermat.html
- http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9034048
- http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Fermat.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_de_Fermat