Let Q(x1 …, xn) be an indefinite quadratic form in n variables with real coefficients. Suppose that when Q is expressed as a sum of squares of real linear forms, with positive and negative signs, there are r positive signs and n—r negative signs. It was proved recently by Birch and Davenport that, if

then for any ε > 0 the inequality

is soluble in integers x1, …, xn, not all 0.