3.II.19F
Part IB, 2002
Explain what is meant by saying that a positive definite integral quadratic form is reduced, and show that every positive definite form is equivalent to a reduced form
State a criterion for a prime number to be representable by some form of discriminant , and deduce that is representable by a form of discriminant if and only if or . Find the reduced forms of discriminant , and hence or otherwise show that a prime is representable by the form if and only if .
[Standard results on when and 2 are squares (mod ) may be assumed.]