Reclusive genius shuns top maths award [Can't make a sphere out of a donut--$1 million]

Scotsman ^ | 8-22-06

[SJackson]

The Poincaré conjecture essentially says that in three dimensions you cannot transform a doughnut shape into a sphere without ripping it, although any shape without a hole can be stretched or shrunk into a sphere.

I knew that. Everyone likes donuts

[Chicos_Bail_Bonds]

Just goes to show there are some very "unique" people in this world that can do things and visualize things and certainly process things much differently than 99.999% of the rest of us.

The article itself had me spinning. Would have liked to see an American in that list of winners, too.

[phoenix0468]

MMMMM, Doughnuts!!

[SJackson]

I admit putting it in terms of donuts, spheres and balls didn't help much.

[phoenix0468]

You know, that's pretty easy to see. Since a doughnut has the hole, it makes it impossible to bend it into the shape of a shpere. But to explain that mathematically for me would be impossible.

[SJackson]

You know, that's pretty easy to see. Since a doughnut has the hole, it makes it impossible to bend it into the shape of a shpere. But to explain that mathematically for me would be impossible.

Mathematically, that's the trick

Common sense, before cooking, compress the donut between both hands, roll it about, toss it in oil, you've got a beignet.

$1,000,000 please.

[phoenix0468]

Nope, you've basically torn the doghnut, since you have removed a portion of it's surface area. Where with a cube or oblong you wouldn't have to do that. HAHA, anyway he said I could have the dough, hehe.

[GeronL]

well, a stereotypical recluse... more gist for Hollywood.

International Mathematical Union

Darn can't believe I missed that.... make plans for next one /sarcasm

[glorgau]

Perhaps he is out in the woods of Russia writing his manifesto. ;-)

[1955Ford]

funniest post of the day!

[Mark Felton]

Perhaps the trick is to collapse the inside of the donut forming a 2-dimensional ring with 2 sides.

Now begin stretching the ring into a ball (with 2 holes at the artics) so that 1 side of the ring now becomes the inside of the sphere and the other side of the ring now becomes the outer surface of the sphere, and 2 holes are at either end, which can then be stretched closed.

Both surfaces of the new sphere (inner and outer) are formed from just the one outer surface of the donut. The inner surface of the donut is now essentially sandwiched between the inner and outer surfaces of the sphere.

I'm sure that was not the problem they were trying to solve.
(?)

[Mark Felton]

By stretching the ring (looks like a frisbee with a hole in the middle) into a sphere what is required is that all points around the inner circle be connected with their opposing point at the other end of the diamter.

The points all around the outer rim are joined to their opposing points, creating the seam of the sphere.

No rips, no tears, only a lost surface, and a new surface creqted from the divison of the old outer surface into an inner and outer.

[Englishman]

In an age of a severely dumbed down math curriculum in our public schools, I fear only private or home schooled individuals will ever qualify for such an award. Mathematics is a dying art in our colleges and universities. Most freshman struggle to add and subtract fractions with uncommon denominators.!!!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

The Brits say "maths", we say "math".
The Brits say "sport", we say "sports".

Why?

[gcruse]

Because we drive on the parkway and park on the driveway.

[phoenix0468]

Yeah well the Brits also smoke fags. Here we just watch them parade down the street once or twice a year. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

[ClaudiusI]

Cincinnatus the mathematician. :)

[maro]

Math ability has little to do with schooling, home-based or otherwise. If you don't have it, you can't learn it, at least at the level of first-rate academic research. If you do have it, it can be encouraged, but I am afraid that it is unlikely that home-schooling parents will know how to encourage real math ability. The best thing is for a gifted child to meet other gifted children led by someone with real mathematical talent, and that is more likely to happen in a school than at home.

[CottonBall]

If you do have it, it can be encouraged, but I am afraid that it is unlikely that home-schooling parents will know how to encourage real math ability. The best thing is for a gifted child to meet other gifted children led by someone with real mathematical talent, and that is more likely to happen in a school than at home.

Very true. There are some that think that homeschooling can accomplish everything, but the fact remains that the majority of the primary homeschooling parents have less education than a credentialed teacher. (I know, I know - most teachers these days aren't worth the paper their degree is on, but the standard of having a degree in what they teach is good in theory.) I personally don't see how anyone can competently teach all subjects at the senior level. (Assuming the senior level is what it used to be).

Sir Isaac Newton, my favorite mathematician and physicist, was considered idle and inattentive at school until a headmaster saw the potential in him and encouraged him to study. Newton later developed the calculus foundation of differentiation and integration in order to complete his work on the laws of motion. I would've loved to see his former teachers' faces when they heard what their 'idle and inattentive' student achieved. Much more than they ever did.

[Constantine XI Palaeologus]

LOL!!!!