Ramanujan ' s identities and representation of integers by certain binary and quaternary quadratic forms

We revisit old conjectures of Fermat and Euler regarding the representation of integers by binary quadratic form x2+5y2. Making use of Ramanujan's 1ψ1 summation formula, we establish a new Lambert series identity for Σ∞n,m=-∞qn2+5m2 Conjectures of Fermat and Euler are shown to follow easily from this new formula. But we do not stop there. Employing various formulas found in Ramanujan's notebooks and using a bit of ingenuity, we obtain a collection of new Lambert series for certain infinite products associated with quadratic forms such as x2+6y2, 2x2+3y2, x2+15y2, 3x2+5y2, x2+27y2, x2+5(y2+z2+w2), 5x2+y2+z2+w2. In the process, we find many new multiplicative eta-quotients and determine their coefficients. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.