Reciprocity Law - Hilbert Reciprocity

Hilbert Reciprocity

In terms of the Hilbert symbol, Hilbert's reciprocity law for an algebraic number field states that

where the product is over all finite and infinite places. Over the rational numbers this is equivalent to the law of quadratic reciprocity. To see this take a and b to be distinct odd primes. Then Hilbert's law becomes But (p,q)p is equal to the Legendre symbol, (p,q) is 1 if one of p and q is positive and –1 otherwise, and (p,q)2 is (–1)(p–1)(q–1)/4. So for p and q positive odd primes Hilbert's law is the law of quadratic reciprocity.

Read more about this topic:  Reciprocity Law

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