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Mathematicians And 'The Man Who Knew Infinity'
Inside Science ^ | 29 Apr, 2016 | Ramin Skibba

Posted on 04/30/2016 8:09:39 AM PDT by MtnClimber

(Inside Science) – In 1914, an unknown Indian man boarded a ship and traveled across the world to Cambridge University in England, where he could finally follow his passion for mathematics. In the few short years between his arrival and untimely death, he filled notebooks with formulas and discovered theorems, some of which still influence the work of mathematicians and scientists today.

The new biopic, "The Man Who Knew Infinity," which opens in U.S. theaters beginning Friday, April 29, chronicles the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan. A self-taught Indian mathematician from the city then called Madras (now Chennai), Ramanujan struggled to overcome racism, poverty, and outsider status in imperial Britain during the tumultuous time of World War I. But he eventually won over the mathematical community and was the second Indian to become a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Written and directed by Matthew Brown, the film gives an authentic portrayal of how mathematicians actually work. At Cambridge, Ramanujan, began an unlikely partnership with G. H. Hardy, who quickly recognized his impressive, if untrained, mathematical abilities.

(Excerpt) Read more at insidescience.org ...


TOPICS: Education; Science
KEYWORDS: britain; cambridge; hindu; india; mathematics; ramanujan; srinivasaramanujan; stringtheory
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1 posted on 04/30/2016 8:09:39 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

Usually don’t pay attention to movies. May have to see this one.


2 posted on 04/30/2016 8:10:26 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

I am amazed at people who are wired that way.

I have a friend who can look at complex equations and see a mistake instantly.

Me? I can’t count to 21 unless I am naked.


3 posted on 04/30/2016 8:24:21 AM PDT by Gamecock ( Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul...Matthew 10:28)
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To: MtnClimber

I have the book. This movie sounds interesting to me


4 posted on 04/30/2016 8:26:12 AM PDT by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
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To: Gamecock

I see what you did there...


5 posted on 04/30/2016 8:39:13 AM PDT by miliantnutcase
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To: MtnClimber

Reminds me of the old saw about the Arab who invented the zero: when he was praised on the accomplishment, he said it was really nothing.


6 posted on 04/30/2016 8:44:18 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: MtnClimber

This guy was mentioned in the movie, Good Will Hunting


7 posted on 04/30/2016 8:45:25 AM PDT by Paisan
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To: Gamecock
Me? I can’t count to 21 unless I am naked.

Don't gain any weight or your math skills will degrade.

8 posted on 04/30/2016 8:46:55 AM PDT by Malsua
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To: MtnClimber
How do we know he suffered an "untimely death"?

Maybe he just...evolved.



9 posted on 04/30/2016 8:53:29 AM PDT by Bratch
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To: chajin
Arab who invented the zero

The Arabs did not invent zero, the Indians did. The Arabs learned of zero while killing millions of Indians during the many Islamic invasions of India.

Wiki
The concept of zero as a digit in the decimal place value notation was developed in India, presumably as early as during the Gupta period (c. 5th century), with the oldest unambiguous evidence dating to the 7th century

10 posted on 04/30/2016 8:54:53 AM PDT by jpsb (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. Otto von Bismark)
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To: MtnClimber

I might have been interested, too. But the remark by Hardy about being “romantic” with the Indian, is a turnoff. All we need is another movie pushing perversion.


11 posted on 04/30/2016 9:00:01 AM PDT by Tucker39 (Welcome to America! Now speak English; and keep to the right....In driving, in Faith, and politics.)
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To: Malsua
Here's an idea; while still clothed, you can stick out your tongue. And then, if you're naked you can suddenly count to 22. 😊
12 posted on 04/30/2016 9:03:07 AM PDT by Tucker39 (Welcome to America! Now speak English; and keep to the right....In driving, in Faith, and politics.)
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To: MtnClimber

13 posted on 04/30/2016 9:06:11 AM PDT by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: jpsb

The Arabs never had an orginial idea!


14 posted on 04/30/2016 9:06:16 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus
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To: jpsb
The Arabs did not invent zero, the Indians did

My bad; thanks for the FYI.

FWIW, a little parental crowing...my son started failing math in the 4th grade, and after a few teacher conferences we finally realized it was because he was bored to death. Since it was a Lutheran school and the teachers and we went to the same church, I was able to set up a compromise: son promised to do the assignments, and in return I would teach him pre-algebra. Long story short, he finished high school with calculus III, and took the advanced math summer camp for entering freshpersons at Rose-Hulman, by which point he had long left his father behind (my limit, no pun intended, was practical calculus for the MBA). He's in his 30s and a transportation planner in AZ now.

15 posted on 04/30/2016 9:07:09 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: Gamecock

From the article: “Their rare and at times fraught collaboration makes for an entertaining film. This is in spite its sprinkling in bits of math throughout, which some viewers might find daunting. For example, upon hearing about a taxi’s number 1729, Ramanujan pointed out that that it’s the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways (1 cubed plus 12 cubed and 6 cubed plus 10 cubed).”

Did anyone else read this and immediately know it’s wrong?


16 posted on 04/30/2016 9:16:58 AM PDT by Boojum
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To: Gamecock

Guess I know what gender you are LOL.


17 posted on 04/30/2016 9:21:21 AM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: chajin
he finished high school with calculus III

Calculus III is one of the more difficult calculus classes. I passed Differential Equations (Calculus 4) put I knew I reached my limit at least in that field of mathematics. Now linear Algebra was fun and very useful too. Sadly it's been so long ago I've mostly forgotten all I learned. Good job on your son.

18 posted on 04/30/2016 9:24:06 AM PDT by jpsb (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. Otto von Bismark)
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To: MtnClimber
His mentor, Hardy, was also an interesting fellow. Proud in the belief his work would have no practical value whatsoever, it turned out it become important for encryption. He also sent out a letter saying he solved the infamous 'Riemann Hypothesis' It was just a ruse, he thought God would surly not let him drown on a sea voyage leading the world to believe he had actually solved it.
19 posted on 04/30/2016 9:30:06 AM PDT by Nateman (If liberals are not screaming you are doing it wrong!)
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To: jpsb

Infinity is being stuck with the wrong woman...


20 posted on 04/30/2016 9:30:29 AM PDT by refermech
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