Contents Introduction I. Metrical theory of approximation on manifolds § 1. The basic problem § 2. Brief survey of results § 3. The principal conjecture II. Metrical theory of transcendental numbers § 1. Mahler's classification of numbers § 2. Metrical characterization of numbers with a given type of approximation § 3. Further problems III. Approximation of algebraic numbers by rationals § 1. Simultaneous approximations § 2. The inclusion of p-adic metrics § 3. Effective improvements of Liouville's inequality IV. Estimates of linear forms in logarithms of algebraic numbers § 1. The basic method § 2. Survey of results § 3. Estimates in the p-adic metric V. Diophantine equations § 1. Ternary exponential equations § 2. The Thue and Thue-Mahler equations § 3. Equations of hyperelliptic type § 4. Algebraic-exponential equations VI. The arithmetic structure of polynomials and the class number § 1. The greatest prime divisor of a polynomial in one variable § 2. The greatest prime divisor of a polynomial in two variables § 3. Square-free divisors of polynomials and the class number § 4. The general problem of the size of the class number Conclusion References
