Let M and L be quadratic lattices over the maximal order of an algebraic number field. In case of dealing with representations of M by L, they sometimes assume certain indefiniteness and the condition rank L-rank M ≥ 3. In this case, representation problems are reduced not to global but to local problems by virtue of the strong approximation theorem for rotations and of the fact that for regular quadratic spaces U, V over a non-archimedian local field there is an isometry from U to V if dim V — dim U ≥ 3.