Generalizations of monsky matrices for elliptic curves in legendre form
A positive integer n is said to be congruent if it is the area of a right triangle whose sides are all of rational length. The task of finding which integers are congruent is an old and famous yet still open question in arithmetic geometry called the congruent number problem. It is linked to the theory of elliptic curves as the integer n is congruent if and only if the elliptic curve y²=x³-n²x has a rational point of infinite order. The link between congruent numbers and elliptic curves enables the application of techniques from algebraic geometry to study the problem. One of these methods is the concept of Monsky matrices that can be used to calculate the size of the 2-Selmer group of the elliptic curve y²=x³-n²x. One can use these matrices in order to find new infinite families of non-congruent numbers. The connection to elliptic curves also introduces generalizations to the congruent number problem. For example, one may consider the θ-congruent number problem which studies triangles with a fixed angle of θ instead of only right triangles. This problem is also related to elliptic curves and the concept of Monsky matrices can be generalized to it. In fact, Monsky matrices can be generalized to any elliptic curve that has a Legendre form over the rationals. The goal of this thesis is to construct such a generalization and then to apply it to relevant problems in arithmetic geometry to efficiently reprove old results and find new ones.
2-descente Elliptic curves Monsky matrices Congruent numbers Theta-congruent numbers 2-descent 2-Selmer group Number theory