Paul Erdos
Paul Erdos: The Prolific Mathematician
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Paul Erdős was a Hungarian-born mathematician who made significant contributions to various fields of mathematics. He is commonly known as Erdős among his peers.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on March 26, 1913, in Budapest, Hungary, Paul Erdős passed away on September 20, 1996, at the age of 83.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Nationality: Hungarian
Profession(s): Mathematician, Researcher
Erdős was a mathematician who dedicated his life to the study and development of mathematics. He is best known for his work in number theory, combinatorics, graph theory, and probability.
Early Life and Background
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Growing up in Budapest, Erdős developed an interest in mathematics at a young age. His father, Miksa Erdős, was a pharmacist, and his mother, Anna Désse, was a schoolteacher. Erdős's early life was marked by tragedy when his parents were both murdered during the Holocaust. He survived and went on to study mathematics at the University of Szeged.
Major Accomplishments
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Erdős made significant contributions to various fields of mathematics, including:
Number Theory: Erdős worked extensively in number theory, making notable discoveries about prime numbers and their distribution.
Combinatorics: He developed new combinatorial methods and results, which had far-reaching implications for many areas of mathematics.
Graph Theory: Erdős's work on graph theory led to a deeper understanding of network structures and connectivity.
Some of his most notable theorems include:
The Erdős-Kac theorem
The Erdős-Turán theoremNotable Works or Actions
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Erdős was known for his collaborations with other mathematicians. He believed in the importance of collaboration and was often quoted as saying, "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems." During his lifetime, he published over 1,500 papers.
Impact and Legacy
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Paul Erdős's contributions to mathematics have had a lasting impact on various fields. He inspired generations of mathematicians with his innovative ideas and collaborative spirit.
Erdős number: In recognition of his vast collaborations, an Erdős number was developed. This number represents the distance between two mathematicians in terms of their co-authorship with Erdős or another mathematician who is connected to Erdős through co-authorships. Having an Erdős number of 1 means you have collaborated directly with Erdős.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Paul Erdős's legacy extends far beyond his mathematical contributions. His life, characterized by a passion for mathematics and a willingness to collaborate, serves as an inspiration to mathematicians worldwide.
Unwavering dedication: Erdős's commitment to mathematics led him to publish over 1,500 papers during his lifetime.
Collaborative spirit: He believed in the power of collaboration and worked extensively with other mathematicians.
Pioneering work: Erdős made significant contributions to various fields of mathematics, leaving a lasting impact on the mathematical community.
Today, Paul Erdős is remembered as one of the most prolific mathematicians in history. His quotes, ideas, and legacy continue to inspire mathematicians and researchers worldwide.
Quotes by Paul Erdos
Paul Erdos's insights on:
When Euler died, he simply said I am finished and collapsed, to which someone in the audience muttered darkly” Another conjecture of Euler is proved.
Before, when I looked at a piece of blank paper my mind was filled with ideas. Now all I see is a blank piece of paper.
When I was a child, the Earth was said to be two billion years old. Now scientists say it’s four and a half billion. So that makes me two and a half billion.
