Paul Erdős

Mathematician

Born: March 26, 1913 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary)

Died: September 20, 1996 in Warsaw, Poland

Nationality: Hungarian

Paul Erdős (1913-1996) was a Hungarian mathematician who is widely regarded as one of the most prolific and influential mathematicians of the 20th century. His extraordinary contributions to the field of mathematics spanned a wide range of topics, including number theory, combinatorics, graph theory, and probability theory.

Erdős was known for his unique approach to mathematical research, which he described as "living out of a suitcase" and "homeless by choice". He lived a nomadic lifestyle, traveling the world and collaborating with other mathematicians on an almost constant basis. Over the course of his career, he published more than 1,500 papers and collaborated with more than 500 different co-authors.

Erdős was particularly renowned for his work on combinatorics, a branch of mathematics concerned with the study of discrete structures and their properties. He made fundamental contributions to the theory of Ramsey numbers, which are mathematical objects that represent the minimum size of a structure required to guarantee the existence of a certain pattern within it. He also made significant contributions to the study of graph theory, which involves the analysis of networks of interconnected points.

One of Erdős's most famous contributions to mathematics is the Erdős–Rényi model, which is a mathematical model for generating random graphs. This model has become a cornerstone of modern network theory and has been used to study everything from social networks to the spread of disease.

Erdős's extraordinary impact on mathematics has been recognized in a number of ways. He was awarded numerous honors and awards throughout his career, including the Wolf Prize in Mathematics in 1983 and the Kyoto Prize in 1984. In addition, the Erdős number, a measure of a mathematician's collaborative distance from Erdős, has become a popular topic of discussion in mathematical circles.

Despite his incredible achievements, Erdős remained humble and dedicated to the pursuit of mathematical truth throughout his life. His legacy continues to inspire and influence mathematicians around the world, and his unique approach to mathematics and collaborative spirit serve as a model for future generations of mathematicians.

Paul Erdős for Children

Paul Erdős was a man who loved to solve puzzles and problems with numbers. He was very, very good at it! He traveled all over the world to meet other people who loved numbers and math just like he did, and he worked with them to solve even bigger problems.

In fact, Paul Erdős was so good at solving math problems and working with others that he wrote over 1,500 papers and worked with more than 500 different people! That's a lot of math!

One of the things that Paul Erdős was famous for was something called the Erdős–Rényi model, which helps people study how things are connected to each other, like how people are connected on social media.

Paul Erdős was very special because he loved math so much that he spent his whole life doing it. He was very kind and humble, and he inspired a lot of people to love math just like he did.

Some Paul Erdős Quotes Explained

"My brain is open."

This quote by Erdős reflects his attitude towards new ideas and problem-solving. He believed that everyone could contribute something to mathematics, and that every idea was worth exploring. By saying "my brain is open," he was expressing his willingness to consider any idea or approach, no matter how unconventional or seemingly insignificant.

"A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems."

This quote by Erdős is a humorous reflection on the intense focus and dedication required to do mathematical research. Erdős was known for his love of coffee and his ability to work long hours without getting tired. The quote suggests that mathematicians need a lot of caffeine to fuel their work, and that their output is measured in theorems (statements that have been proven to be true using mathematical reasoning).

"Another roof, another proof."

This quote by Erdős reflects his itinerant lifestyle as a mathematician. Erdős was famous for traveling around the world and collaborating with other mathematicians wherever he went. He often stayed with other mathematicians and would jokingly say "another roof, another proof" to indicate that he was ready to start working on new problems as soon as he arrived.

"The book is in my mind, but unfortunately, my mind is not in the book."

This quote by Erdős reflects his tendency to work on many different problems at once and his reliance on memory rather than written notes. Erdős often carried around a notebook where he would jot down ideas and proofs, but he relied primarily on his own memory to keep track of his work. The quote suggests that he had a lot of knowledge stored in his mind, but that he didn't always have an easy time organizing it on paper.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse