Is Math a Young Man's Game? 276
Bamafan77 writes "Slate has an interesting article on the relationship between the productivity of mathematicians and age. The conventional belief is that most significant mathematical leaps are all made before the age of 30. However, the author gives pretty compelling reasons for why this once may have been true, but is definitely not the rule now. Two of his more interesting pieces of evidence include Grigori Perelman's (probable) proof of the Poincare Conjecture at 40 and Andrew Wile's proof of Fermat's Last Theorem at 41."
I agree, math's a young man's game (Score:4, Funny)
I'm so old, I lost count. Damn wippersnappers and their meaningless symbols.
It is obvious why this is the case.. (Score:5, Funny)
"Okay Dear I'll mow the lawn now"
I also suspect the growing complexity of screensavers as a factor..
I prove you wrong! (Score:3, Funny)
Yes, but at the tender age of 22, I can not only add my bar tab together, but also figure an appropriate tip.
Young people can't do hard math my ass.
Phases of Life... (Score:4, Funny)
5 to 15: Productive phase
15 to 40: Reproductive phase (some like to begin early and post longer
40 to 60: Consumer phase
60 to
Re:I prove you wrong! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The problem is with modern mathematics... (Score:5, Funny)
An architect, a physicist and a mathematician were asked whether they could imagine a 4-dimensional space.
The architect said: "That's impossible! I can't draw that!"
The physicist said: "Well, that can be done, if we say that time is the fourth dimension..."
The mathematician said: "Let us imagine an n-dimensional space. Now, let n equal four..."
Re:I prove you wrong! (Score:5, Funny)
EXACTLY!!!
The proof comes from the side of the bottle. You should tip the bartender more the higher the proof.
I'm going to hell for that one...
An evolutionary biologist says... (Score:5, Funny)
Or maybe they got married and their wife nags at them to death and ruins their concentration.
Who thinks 40 is not young? (Score:5, Funny)
The truth is I don't feel any older than I did at 25 (still like the same age women as a matter of fact), I'm in better shape than I was then, and if coding skills are any indication I'm sharper than my 20-ish coworkers. So there!
Now if you'll excuse me I have to knock back my Ensure before I chase the kids off my lawn.
Re:I agree, math's a young man's game (Score:2, Funny)
That sounds about right. According to another study, mathematicians reach their prime just before discovering sex, after which it is all downhill. It will give the old codgers some solace to know that they can expect a brief comeback after their wives stop having sex with them.
Re:Andrew Wile (Score:4, Funny)
Re:An evolutionary biologist says... (Score:2, Funny)
"Math" Arrrrrgggghhhh!!!!! (Score:2, Funny)
The abbreviation "math" really grates on me (outside the US it's called "maths"). It's not mathematic, it's mathematics.
Don't get me started on sulfur either...
Bob
Re:The problem is with modern mathematics... (Score:3, Funny)
Modern Elders of Science (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Science, Math, and Age (Score:3, Funny)
The other attendee replies, "I carry that in case I have an idea, so I can write it down and not forget it.
Einstein nods thoughtfully and says, "I see. Something like that wouldn't help me, of course. I have only had one or two ideas in my entire life."
Senility (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Andrew Wiles at age 41 (Score:3, Funny)
>mathematical prime.
30 is not prime.