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Fermat’s Last Theorem, proposed by the 17th-century French mathematician Pierre de Fermat, asserts that there are no whole number solutions for the equation ( x^n + y^n = z^n ) when ( n ) is an integer greater than 2. Fermat famously claimed to have a proof, noting in the margin of his copy of Arithmetica that the margin was too small to contain it. Unfortunately, this elusive proof was never discovered, leaving generations of mathematicians to ponder Fermat's assertion without a guide.
For over three centuries, Fermat's Last Theorem presented a formidable challenge. While advances were made along the way, including a significant proof by the mathematician Leonhard Euler for the case when ( n = 3 ), no general proof emerged.