A trailer for p-adic analysis, second half: Mahler coefficients

In the previous post we defined $latex {p}&fg=000000$-adic numbers. This post will state (mostly without proof) some more surprising results about continuous functions $latex {f \colon \mathbb Z_p \rightarrow \mathbb Q_p}&fg=000000$. Then we give the famous proof of the Skolem-Mahler-Lech theorem using $latex {p}&fg=000000$-adic analysis. 1. Digression on $latex {\mathbb C_p}&fg=000000$ Before I go on,… Continue reading A trailer for p-adic analysis, second half: Mahler coefficients

A trailer for p-adic analysis, first half: USA TST 2003

I think this post is more than two years late in coming, but anywhow... This post introduces the $latex {p}&fg=000000$-adic integers $latex {\mathbb Z_p}&fg=000000$, and the $latex {p}&fg=000000$-adic numbers $latex {\mathbb Q_p}&fg=000000$. The one-sentence description is that these are ``integers/rationals carrying full mod $latex {p^e}&fg=000000$ information'' (and only that information). The first four sections will… Continue reading A trailer for p-adic analysis, first half: USA TST 2003