Visions Of Infinity: The Great Mathematical Pro... Info

A problem simple enough for a fourth-grader to understand—asking if four colors are enough for any map—that eventually required a massive computational effort to prove. The Enigmas: Unsolved Challenges

Cracked in 2002 by the eccentric genius Grigori Perelman , this solution has become fundamental to our understanding of three-dimensional shapes.

Stewart highlights the lives and persistence of the individuals who dedicated their lives to these puzzles. Visions of Infinity: The Great Mathematical Pro...

Posited in 1630 and finally solved by Andrew Wiles in 1995, this three-century effort led to the creation of algebraic number theory.

Often considered the most significant open problem in pure mathematics, it deals with the distribution of prime numbers. A problem simple enough for a fourth-grader to

Stewart also details the "Holy Grails" that continue to baffle modern mathematicians:

A central challenge in computer science and mathematics that remains unproven and could potentially stay that way for another century. Posited in 1630 and finally solved by Andrew

The book chronicles several monumental victories that transformed the mathematical landscape: