Results for Math's Greatest Minds

1. Which mathematician proved the famous formula

e^(i*pi) + 1 = 0?

Your Answer: Blaise Pascal

The correct answer was Leonhard Euler.

"Euler's Identity" is one of the most famous formulas in the

world of mathematics, as it ties together the five most
important constants: 0, 1, pi, and the imaginary i.

51% of players have answered correctly.

2. Which mathematician had worked with number theory

and claimed to have found that x^n + y^n = z^n has no
positive integer solutions if n is greater than 2?

Your Answer: Pierre de Fermat

Fermat's theory came to be known as "Fermat's Last

Theorem". During Fermat's life, no one had proven it, but
Fermat did write: "I have discovered a truly remarkable proof
which this margin is too small to contain." In the past
decades, however, Andrew Wiles had proven the theorem.

51% of players have answered correctly.

3. Which mathematician had published "The Elements",

and has influenced the study of geometry for around 2000
years?

Your Answer: Euclid

In his book, "The Element", Euclid of Alexandria gave five

postulates that set the basis for Euclidian geometry.
However, it was only by the 19th century that Euclid's last
postulate was proven to be false, giving the way for non-
Euclidian geometry.

59% of players have answered correctly.

4. Which mathematician had developed the "method of

indivisibles" and published "Geometria Indivisibilis"?
Your Answer: Marin Mersenne

The correct answer was Bonaventura Cavalieri.

Cavalieri's "method of indivisibles" states that a geometric

plane contains infinitesimally small rectangles, which would
allow Cavalieri to find the area of a shape quickly. The book's
full name is "Geometria Indivisibilibus Continuorum Nova
Quadam Ratione Promota", and was harshly criticized
because mathematicians believed Cavalieri's method was
absurd.

34% of players have answered correctly.

5. Which mathematician had studied the involute of a

circle, and used this knowledge to patent the first
pendulum clock?

Your Answer: René Descartes

The correct answer was Christiaan Huygens.

Huygens' work with clocks greatly improved the accuracy of

clocks. He also discovered the true shape of the rings of
Saturn. Huygens eventually isolated himself in Holland, and
continued to study outer space and had even proposed the
existence of extraterrestrial beings.

52% of players have answered correctly.

6. Which mathematician, at the age of 18, had found that

"the number of primes less than or equal to n tends to
infinity as n/(log_e n)", which is an elementary form proof
of the Prime Number Theorem?

Your Answer: Paul Erdos

"The Prime Number Theorem" was first proposed by Bertrand

in the 1700s, but had not been proved until the 1800s. Erdös'
solution is a more elegant form of a proof, thus he has
become famous within association with the theorem.
Interestingly enough, this mathematician had an FBI record
against him, due to unknowingly trespassing while talking to
other mathematicians about math.

22% of players have answered correctly.

7. Which mathematician had studied binomial coefficients,
published a book on it, and had a "triangle" named after
him?

Your Answer: Blaise Pascal

Although Pascal was not the first to study "Pascal's Triangle",

this was his most famous work. His studies later helped Sir
Isaac Newton discover the binomial theorem.

62% of players have answered correctly.

8. Which mathematician is remembered for his theorem

(cos x + i sin x)^n = (cos nx + i sin nx)?

Your Answer: Leonhard Euler

The correct answer was Abraham de Moivre.

(cos x + i sin x) can also be abbreviated to cis x. De Moivre's

theorem opened the way for a greater study of complex
numbers. Despite his successes in trigonometry and complex
numbers, he died in poverty.

39% of players have answered correctly.

9. Which mathematician was the first to factor out (2^67 -

1) using quadratic remainders?

Your Answer: François Edouard Anatole Lucas

The correct answer was Frank Nelson Cole.

By factoring out that number, Cole was able to disprove

Mersenne's perfect number expression: 2^p - 1. It was at a
mathematical convention that Cole took his time in multiplying
out the factors by hand in order to prove Mersenne wrong.

27% of players have answered correctly.

10. Which mathematician's most famous work is a formula

that can be used to find the area of a triangle with just the
lengths of the sides?

Your Answer: Pythagoras

The correct answer was Heron.

Heron's formula is A^2 = s*(s - a)*(s - b)*(s - c). s is just the

sum of the sides' lengths over divided by two.

18% of players have answered correctly.