Explicit reciprocity law

In mathematics, an explicit reciprocity law is a formula for the Hilbert symbol of a local field. The name "explicit reciprocity law" refers to the fact that the Hilbert symbols of local fields appear in Hilbert's reciprocity law for the power residue symbol. The definitions of the Hilbert symbol are usually rather roundabout and can be hard to use directly in explicit examples, and the explicit reciprocity laws give more explicit expressions for the Hilbert symbol that are sometimes easier to use.