Hi all,
Since we are dealing with nerds I would first narrow down my focus to science. Then we have Physics, Chemistry and Maths. Although the first two of the sciences have numerous examples of nerds, I will focus on maths to exemplify their exploits.
I want to start with something that is very central to maths - Number theory. Even if you are studying arts, it is unlikely that you have not heard of Fermat and his last theorem. If not, here it goes:
No three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than two.
That seems pretty simple right? If you are a nerd, you should stop here and start some number crunching. If you are a regular guy, continue.
The problem is simple but when you start doing the math (trust the nerds) you realize that it is difficult to comprehend. The problem is in-fact so complex that the math guys had to develop two separate branches just to prove it because Fermat was too proud to prove it. The reason cited was (he wrote this on the margin of his notebook) - " The space seems too small to write the proof. You better accept it!". I think he did try it out with large numbers - (9)^3 + (10)^3 = 1729. Missed by 1 ! ( 12^3 = 1728) and then gave up and wrote it as a theorem. That's one advantage you have when you are born in the 16th century and their is no one to question you. In essence Fermat stated - "Hey, if I claim to discover some really stupid mathematical theorem and don't give the proof for it, then people will spend a shit-load of time over the next forever years trying to prove it."
But wait! Fermat is not the protagonist of this little story of mine. It is someone you probably haven't heard of - Andrew Wiles. It would be interesting to note that many math greats like Gauss, Lame, Euler tried wrapping their heads around it. They proved it for some numbers and gave up. Gauss even said - "The problem is of little interest to me" - Ya right!. This went on for a good 300 years and then Wiles made it to the scene - who as a child dreamed of solving the theorem - What a wasted childhood it seems !
He used a conjecture given by a bunch of Japs and in 1993, put together some complex elliptic equations, developed a new branch in Mathematics, Introduced some new number system..and at the Newton Institute in Cambridge declared that he had proved the Fermat theorem. He did not get the Noble prize for that - You don't get one just for doing something that helps you vent out your frustration due to a long struggle!
What I wonder is that - Is their a simpler proof that lurks out there.. waiting for someone to stumble upon.. The proof given by Wiles cannot be the same as what Fermat had thought (if he ever thought of one).. because all this did not exist in that time..Maybe some day, some nerd will come up with it..
They say that "The fun is in not knowing". How many of us would dig deep in-to the conjecture or the equations that Wiles used to solve the theorem. We are in-fact just mystified (I hope) that he did something that many of u can't even dream of. And yeah that's a classic example of a cool nerd who would get a lot of chicks - your typical debatable stereotype.
Although he did not have a eureka moment while giving the proof- Don't you think coolness is all around him?
Bharat
Since we are dealing with nerds I would first narrow down my focus to science. Then we have Physics, Chemistry and Maths. Although the first two of the sciences have numerous examples of nerds, I will focus on maths to exemplify their exploits.
I want to start with something that is very central to maths - Number theory. Even if you are studying arts, it is unlikely that you have not heard of Fermat and his last theorem. If not, here it goes:
No three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than two.
That seems pretty simple right? If you are a nerd, you should stop here and start some number crunching. If you are a regular guy, continue.
The problem is simple but when you start doing the math (trust the nerds) you realize that it is difficult to comprehend. The problem is in-fact so complex that the math guys had to develop two separate branches just to prove it because Fermat was too proud to prove it. The reason cited was (he wrote this on the margin of his notebook) - " The space seems too small to write the proof. You better accept it!". I think he did try it out with large numbers - (9)^3 + (10)^3 = 1729. Missed by 1 ! ( 12^3 = 1728) and then gave up and wrote it as a theorem. That's one advantage you have when you are born in the 16th century and their is no one to question you. In essence Fermat stated - "Hey, if I claim to discover some really stupid mathematical theorem and don't give the proof for it, then people will spend a shit-load of time over the next forever years trying to prove it."
But wait! Fermat is not the protagonist of this little story of mine. It is someone you probably haven't heard of - Andrew Wiles. It would be interesting to note that many math greats like Gauss, Lame, Euler tried wrapping their heads around it. They proved it for some numbers and gave up. Gauss even said - "The problem is of little interest to me" - Ya right!. This went on for a good 300 years and then Wiles made it to the scene - who as a child dreamed of solving the theorem - What a wasted childhood it seems !
He used a conjecture given by a bunch of Japs and in 1993, put together some complex elliptic equations, developed a new branch in Mathematics, Introduced some new number system..and at the Newton Institute in Cambridge declared that he had proved the Fermat theorem. He did not get the Noble prize for that - You don't get one just for doing something that helps you vent out your frustration due to a long struggle!
What I wonder is that - Is their a simpler proof that lurks out there.. waiting for someone to stumble upon.. The proof given by Wiles cannot be the same as what Fermat had thought (if he ever thought of one).. because all this did not exist in that time..Maybe some day, some nerd will come up with it..
They say that "The fun is in not knowing". How many of us would dig deep in-to the conjecture or the equations that Wiles used to solve the theorem. We are in-fact just mystified (I hope) that he did something that many of u can't even dream of. And yeah that's a classic example of a cool nerd who would get a lot of chicks - your typical debatable stereotype.
Although he did not have a eureka moment while giving the proof- Don't you think coolness is all around him?
Bharat
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