The Igusa local zeta function for x^n+y^m

This paper provides specific results on the Igusa local zeta function for the curves $x^n+y^m$. In addition to specific results, we give an introduction to $p$-adic analysis and a discussion of various methods which have been used to compute these zeta functions. The paper was written by the 1992 REU group in $p$-adic analysis supervised by Margaret Robinson. It has been available on the Mount Holyoke REU website.