On Gauss's proof of Seeber's Theorem

Summary Gauss proved Seeber's Theorem, that the determinant of a reduced positive definite ternary quadratic form is at least half the product of its diagonal coefficients, by means of two determinantal identities whose origin has remained unclear. We examine Gauss's method from a general standpoint, as a method whereby, in certain circumstances, a polynomial in several variables may be shown to be non-negative on a convex polytope by representing it as a positive multilinear combination of the linear forms which determine the polytope. We show that Gauss's identities may be obtained in this manner and that the two identities can in fact be replaced by a simpler single identity which also gives Oppenheim's precise minimum for the determinant.