# WHAT IS Lehmer's number?

• Published in 2009
• Added on
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Lehmer's number $\lambda \approx 1.17628$ is the largest real root of the polynomial $f_\lambda(x) = x^10 + x^9 - x^7 - x^6 -x^5 -x^4 - x^3 + x + 1$. This number appears in various contexts in number theory and topology as the (sometimes conjectural) answer to natural questions involving minimality'' and small complexity''.

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### BibTeX entry

@article{item35,
title = {WHAT IS Lehmer's number?},
author = {Eriko Hironaka},
url = {http://www.math.fsu.edu/{\~{}}aluffi/archive/paper355.pdf},
urldate = {2013-12-03},
year = 2009,
abstract = {Lehmer's number $\lambda \approx 1.17628$ is the largest real root of the polynomial $f{\_}\lambda(x) = x^10 + x^9 - x^7 - x^6 -x^5 -x^4 - x^3 + x + 1$.

This number appears in various contexts in number theory and topology as the (sometimes conjectural) answer to natural questions involving minimality'' and small complexity''.},
comment = {},
collections = {Attention-grabbing titles,Integerology}
}