Continuing with the mathematics theme, today is the birthday of Pierre
Fermat, whose name is attached to one of the most famous theorems in
mathematics, called Fermat's Last Theorem. In 1637, Fermat "stated"
the theorem in the margin of Arithmetica, an ancient Greek text
(writted by Diophantus in the 3rd C AD). He also said that he had a
really cool proof, but the proof would not fit in the margin of the
book. In the next 30 years of his life, he never wrote about it
again. But it became a huge mathematical challenge over the next 358
years, and lots of brain power was spent trying to prove it. It was
finally proven in 1995, but that is an interesting tale as well.
Andrew Wiles, a British mathematician, presented a "proof" in 1993.
The proof had an error. The proof was corrected by Wiles in 1994 and
accepted in 1995.
Interesting tidbit continued: There is no Nobel Prize for mathematics.
Instead, there is the Fields Medal, sometimes described as the "Nobel
Prize in Mathematics." But it can only be given to mathematicians who
are 40 years old or younger. In 1993, Wiles was 40. But in 1994, he
was over the age of eligibility, so he could not get the award for
solving one of the greatest mathematical puzzles in history. The body
that awards the Field medal, the International Mathematical Union,
instead gave him a silver plaque.
The remarkable titbit: Wiles apparently discovered the puzzle of Fermat's Last
Theorem when he was 10 years old, when he found a book about the
theorem. He decided that he would be the one to prove it, and became
a mathematics professor.
Popular tidbits: Wiles is mentioned in an episode of Star Trek; he is
mentioned in the "Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" books, where the girl
tries to prove the theorem; the lyrics to a Tom Lehrer song state:
"Wiles "confirms what Fermat / Jotted down in that margin / Which
could've used some enlargin'"
Fermat, whose name is attached to one of the most famous theorems in
mathematics, called Fermat's Last Theorem. In 1637, Fermat "stated"
the theorem in the margin of Arithmetica, an ancient Greek text
(writted by Diophantus in the 3rd C AD). He also said that he had a
really cool proof, but the proof would not fit in the margin of the
book. In the next 30 years of his life, he never wrote about it
again. But it became a huge mathematical challenge over the next 358
years, and lots of brain power was spent trying to prove it. It was
finally proven in 1995, but that is an interesting tale as well.
Andrew Wiles, a British mathematician, presented a "proof" in 1993.
The proof had an error. The proof was corrected by Wiles in 1994 and
accepted in 1995.
Interesting tidbit continued: There is no Nobel Prize for mathematics.
Instead, there is the Fields Medal, sometimes described as the "Nobel
Prize in Mathematics." But it can only be given to mathematicians who
are 40 years old or younger. In 1993, Wiles was 40. But in 1994, he
was over the age of eligibility, so he could not get the award for
solving one of the greatest mathematical puzzles in history. The body
that awards the Field medal, the International Mathematical Union,
instead gave him a silver plaque.
The remarkable titbit: Wiles apparently discovered the puzzle of Fermat's Last
Theorem when he was 10 years old, when he found a book about the
theorem. He decided that he would be the one to prove it, and became
a mathematics professor.
Popular tidbits: Wiles is mentioned in an episode of Star Trek; he is
mentioned in the "Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" books, where the girl
tries to prove the theorem; the lyrics to a Tom Lehrer song state:
"Wiles "confirms what Fermat / Jotted down in that margin / Which
could've used some enlargin'"
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