The use of gauged ${cal N} = 8$ supergravity as a tool in studying the AdS/CFT correspondence for ${cal N} = 4$ Yang-Mills theory is reviewed. The supergravity potential implies a non-trivial, supersymmetric IR fixed point, and the flow to this fixed point is described in terms of a supergravity kink. The results agree perfectly with earlier, independent field theory results. A supergravity inspired $c$-function, and corresponding $c$-theorem is discussed for general flows, and the simplified form for supersymmetric flows is also given. Flows along the Coulomb branch of the Yang-Mills theory are also described from the five-dimensional perspective.
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