5 ms·

Reminds me of George Dantzig, who solved two unsolved problems in statistics because he mistook them for homework. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-unsolv

by ljcn 7y ago

Reminds me of George Dantzig, who solved two unsolved problems in statistics because he mistook them for homework. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-unsolvable-math-problem/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-unsolvable-math-proble... I wonder how many other breakthroughs have occurred in a 'hard' problem that was thought to be 'easy'.

hkmurakami 7y ago
There's an urban legend in the Princeton physics department of professors including questions in exams that they don't know the answer to in hopes that some student might crack it. Probably happens from time to time. I never saw it myself since I quickly realized I wouldn't cut it as a physics major there.
- cynicalkane 7y ago
  When I was a math major at U. Chicago, there was at least one professor who did this.
  - closeparen 7y ago
    The math pirate!