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#1 2005-07-05 16:46:49
- Jai Ganesh
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- Registered: 2005-06-28
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Mathematical proof
Mathematicians are notorious for being sticklers when it comes to requiring absolute proof before accepting any statement. Their reputation is clearly expressed in a story told by Ian Stewart in 'Concepts of Modern Mathematics':-
An astronomer, a physicist, and a mathematician (it is said) were holidaying in Scotland. Glancing from a train window, they observed a black sheep in the middle of a field.
'How interesting' observed the astronomer, 'all Scottish sheep are black!' To which the
physicist responded, 'No, no! Some Scottish sheep are black!' The mathematician gazed heavenward in supplication, and then intoned, 'In Scotland there exists at least one field, containing at least one sheep, at least one side of which is black.'
Taken from 'Fermat's Last Theorem' by Simon Singh
It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.
Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.
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#2 2005-10-09 04:33:25
- siva.eas
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- Registered: 2005-09-17
- Posts: 166
Re: Mathematical proof
Lol, I read the book too, it was very interesting, but it was a long time ago
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#3 2005-12-15 12:16:20
- siva.eas
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- Registered: 2005-09-17
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Re: Mathematical proof
I also think that the name of the book is Fermat's Enigma not Fermat's Last Theorm.
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#4 2005-12-15 12:22:12
- mathsyperson
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Re: Mathematical proof
I have a copy of the book and mine is called 'Fermat's Last Theorem', but it's not unfeasible that the the book was published under multiple names.
Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.
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#5 2006-01-09 16:22:20
- John E. Franklin
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- Registered: 2005-08-29
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Re: Mathematical proof
I love that ganesh. I think it's cool the mathmatician thought about the side of the sheep that was being viewed. That surprised me.
igloo myrtilles fourmis
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#6 2006-01-09 16:48:44
- Jai Ganesh
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Re: Mathematical proof
John, try to get 'Fermat's Last Theorem' and also 'The man who loved only numbers' by Paul Hoffman. The latter is about Paul Erdos (pronounced Airdish), known as Uncle Paul, one of the greatest Mathematicians ever born, his life and his idiosyncracy. Both fall in the must-read category for Mathematics lovers 
It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.
Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.
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#7 2006-01-10 02:34:26
- darthradius
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- Registered: 2005-11-28
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Re: Mathematical proof
Also, 'The Equation that could not be solved', about the insolubility of the quintic, symmetry and Galois theory....(Galois was fascinating)
The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution.
-Bertrand Russell
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#8 2006-03-01 05:20:36
- krassi_holmz
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- Registered: 2005-12-02
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Re: Mathematical proof
And don't forget the general proof of Matiashevich for unsolvarility of Diophantine equations from power >9!!!
IPBLE: Increasing Performance By Lowering Expectations.
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#9 2006-03-12 02:33:18
- damathamatician
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- Registered: 2006-02-28
- Posts: 10
Re: Mathematical proof
I think that was awsome of how different scientists behave
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