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Andrew Wiles Quotes

It’s fine to work on any problem, so long as it generates interesting mathematics along the way - even if you don’t solve it at the end of the day Picture Quote #1

I loved doing problems in school. I’d take them home and make up new ones of my own. But the best problem I ever found, I found in my local public library. I was just browsing through the section of math books and I found this one book, which was all about one particular problem - Fermat’s Last Theorem Picture Quote #1

I really believed that I was on the right track, but that did not mean that I would necessarily reach my goal Picture Quote #1

There’s also a sense of freedom. I was so obsessed by this problem that I was thinking about if all the time - when I woke up in the morning, when I went to sleep at night, and that went on for eight years Picture Quote #1

I was so obsessed by this problem that I was thinking about it all the time - when I woke up in the morning, when I went to sleep at night - and that went on for eight years Picture Quote #1

But perhaps that’s always the way with math problems, and we just have to find new ones to capture our attention Picture Quote #1

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But what has made this problem special for amateurs is that there’s a tiny possibility that there does exist an elegant 17th century proof Picture Quote #1

But the best problem I ever found, I found in my local public library Picture Quote #1

Fermat was my childhood passion Picture Quote #1

Fermat couldn’t possibly have had this proof Picture Quote #1

I loved doing problems in school Picture Quote #1

Always try the problem that matters most to you Picture Quote #1

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I carried this problem around in my head basically the whole time. I would wake up with it first thing in the morning, I would be thinking about it all day, and I would be thinking about it when I went to sleep. Without distraction I would have the same thing going round and round in my mind Picture Quote #1

I never use a computer Picture Quote #1

Fermat said he had a proof Picture Quote #1

The only way I could relax was when I was with my children Picture Quote #1

That particular odyssey is now over. My mind is now at rest Picture Quote #1

The definition of a good mathematical problem is the mathematics it generates rather than the problem itself Picture Quote #1

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However impenetrable it seems, if you don’t try it, then you can never do it Picture Quote #1

I had this rare privilege of being able to pursue in my adult life, what had been my childhood dream Picture Quote #1

I know it’s a rare privilege, but if one can really tackle something in adult life that means that much to you, then it’s more rewarding than anything I can imagine Picture Quote #1

I tried to fit it in with some previous broad conceptual understanding of some part of mathematics that would clarify the particular problem I was thinking about Picture Quote #1

Just because we can’t find a solution it doesn’t mean that there isn’t one Picture Quote #1

Mathematicians aren’t satisfied because they know there are no solutions up to four million or four billion, they really want to know that there are no solutions up to infinity Picture Quote #1

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Certainly one thing that I’ve learned is that it is important to pick a problem based on how much you care about it Picture Quote #1

Perhaps I could best describe my experience of doing mathematics in terms of entering a dark mansion. You go into the first room and it’s dark, completely dark. You stumble around, bumping into the furniture. Gradually, you learn where each piece of furniture is. And finally, after six months or so, you find the light switch and turn it on. Suddenly, it’s all illuminated and you can see exactly where you were. Then you enter the next dark room Picture Quote #1

Well, some mathematics problems look simple, and you try them for a year or so, and then you try them for a hundred years, and it turns out that they’re extremely hard to solve Picture Quote #1

Perhaps the methods I needed to complete the proof would not be invented for a hundred years. So even if I was on the right track, I could be living in the wrong century Picture Quote #1

It could be that the methods needed to take the next step may simply be beyond present day mathematics. Perhaps the methods I needed to complete the proof would not be invented for a hundred years Picture Quote #1

I loved doing problems in school. I’d take them home and make up new ones of my own Picture Quote #1

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It’s fine to work on any problem, so long as it generates interesting mathematics along the way - even if you don’t solve it at the end of the day. (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I loved doing problems in school. I’d take them home and make up new ones of my own. But the best problem I ever found, I found in my local public library. I was just browsing through the section of math books and I found this one book, which was all about one particular problem - Fermat’s Last Theorem. (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I really believed that I was on the right track, but that did not mean that I would necessarily reach my goal (Andrew Wiles Quotes) There’s also a sense of freedom. I was so obsessed by this problem that I was thinking about if all the time - when I woke up in the morning, when I went to sleep at night, and that went on for eight years (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I was so obsessed by this problem that I was thinking about it all the time - when I woke up in the morning, when I went to sleep at night - and that went on for eight years (Andrew Wiles Quotes) But perhaps that’s always the way with math problems, and we just have to find new ones to capture our attention (Andrew Wiles Quotes) But what has made this problem special for amateurs is that there’s a tiny possibility that there does exist an elegant 17th century proof (Andrew Wiles Quotes) But the best problem I ever found, I found in my local public library (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Fermat was my childhood passion (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Fermat couldn’t possibly have had this proof (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I loved doing problems in school (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Always try the problem that matters most to you (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I carried this problem around in my head basically the whole time. I would wake up with it first thing in the morning, I would be thinking about it all day, and I would be thinking about it when I went to sleep. Without distraction I would have the same thing going round and round in my mind (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I never use a computer (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Fermat said he had a proof (Andrew Wiles Quotes) The only way I could relax was when I was with my children (Andrew Wiles Quotes) That particular odyssey is now over. My mind is now at rest (Andrew Wiles Quotes) The definition of a good mathematical problem is the mathematics it generates rather than the problem itself (Andrew Wiles Quotes) However impenetrable it seems, if you don’t try it, then you can never do it (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I had this rare privilege of being able to pursue in my adult life, what had been my childhood dream (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I know it’s a rare privilege, but if one can really tackle something in adult life that means that much to you, then it’s more rewarding than anything I can imagine (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I tried to fit it in with some previous broad conceptual understanding of some part of mathematics that would clarify the particular problem I was thinking about (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Just because we can’t find a solution it doesn’t mean that there isn’t one (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Mathematicians aren’t satisfied because they know there are no solutions up to four million or four billion, they really want to know that there are no solutions up to infinity (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Certainly one thing that I’ve learned is that it is important to pick a problem based on how much you care about it (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Perhaps I could best describe my experience of doing mathematics in terms of entering a dark mansion. You go into the first room and it’s dark, completely dark. You stumble around, bumping into the furniture. Gradually, you learn where each piece of furniture is. And finally, after six months or so, you find the light switch and turn it on. Suddenly, it’s all illuminated and you can see exactly where you were. Then you enter the next dark room (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Well, some mathematics problems look simple, and you try them for a year or so, and then you try them for a hundred years, and it turns out that they’re extremely hard to solve (Andrew Wiles Quotes) Perhaps the methods I needed to complete the proof would not be invented for a hundred years. So even if I was on the right track, I could be living in the wrong century (Andrew Wiles Quotes) It could be that the methods needed to take the next step may simply be beyond present day mathematics. Perhaps the methods I needed to complete the proof would not be invented for a hundred years (Andrew Wiles Quotes) I loved doing problems in school. I’d take them home and make up new ones of my own (Andrew Wiles Quotes)

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