Remember the show that had predicted Donald Trump’s presidency?
Yes, Iam talking of #‘TheSimpsons’ in my story#2.
In the episode of “The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace” (1998), Homer writes something on the blackboard.
#My_interest- the second equation on the board!
3987^12 + 4365^12 = 4472^12
#Why?
We all ID the equation: x^2 + y^2 = z^2, right?!
Diophantus in his book 'Arithmetica', challenged his readers to find whole number solutions to the above equation. Well, there are infinite solutions to the equation.
#What’s_the_solution_for_the_above_equation?
Do #Pythagorean triples ring a bell?! (All the Pythagoras fans-Hifi!)
Okay, so what’s #special in #Homer’s_equation?
Homer seems to have defied Fermat’s last theorem!
Okay, now what’s #Fermat's last theorem?
Pierre de Fermat got bored of Diophantus’ puzzle of x^2 + y^2 = z^2.
He wanted to find solutions for x^3 + y^3 = z^3. He could just come up with trivial solutions like 0^3 + 7^3 = 7^3 and so on.
He further went on to raise the powers and tried to find solutions for them. Despite his best efforts he couldn't find any solution.
So, he concluded that it is impossible to find whole number solutions to any of the following equations:
x^3 + y^3 = z^3
x^4 + y^4 = z^4
.
.
.
x^n + y^n = z^n, when n > 2.
He scribbled this in his copy of Diophantus’ Arithmetica in 1637.
He then confidently added this sentence (translated from Latin) “I have discovered a truly marvellous proof of this, which this margin is too narrow to contain” - most frustrating note in the history of mathematics, isn't it?
#Is_Homer’s_equation_true?
Take your calculators and check it out NOW!
If you have a calculator that can show more than 8 digits, then you’ll realise that it's not exactly correct, but almost!
The actual equation is:
3987^12 + 4365^12 = 4472.0000000070576171875^12
Well, Fermat’s theorem still holds good (and the 130 page proof given by Andrew Wiles too!)
This was a #mathematical_prank played by the writer David .S. Cohen!!
Cohen obviously knew Fermat’s equation had no solutions but this way he paid homage to one of the greatest mathematical minds Fermat and, also to Andrew Wiles. The prank amused almost everybody who were aware of Fermat's last theorem and checked out the same with the calculator.
#How_did_Cohen_find_Homer’s_equation?
In order to find this pseudo-solution, he wrote a computer program that would scan through the values of the variables involved until it found a number that was almost balanced. Wow! Isn’t it?
More about the author in the comments section.
The Simpsons has a lot of mathematical tit bits in its episodes! Hopefully I will cover few of the most intriguing ones through my posts.
Stay tuned for more stories on math!
Sources:
<1> The Simpsons and their mathematical secrets - a wonderful book written by Simon Singh. (For all math lovers- give it a read! You’ll have fun!)
<2> Google images.
#thesimpsons #fermat #homer #mathstories #theorems
Yes, Iam talking of #‘TheSimpsons’ in my story#2.
In the episode of “The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace” (1998), Homer writes something on the blackboard.
#My_interest- the second equation on the board!
3987^12 + 4365^12 = 4472^12
#Why?
We all ID the equation: x^2 + y^2 = z^2, right?!
Diophantus in his book 'Arithmetica', challenged his readers to find whole number solutions to the above equation. Well, there are infinite solutions to the equation.
#What’s_the_solution_for_the_above_equation?
Do #Pythagorean triples ring a bell?! (All the Pythagoras fans-Hifi!)
Okay, so what’s #special in #Homer’s_equation?
Homer seems to have defied Fermat’s last theorem!
Okay, now what’s #Fermat's last theorem?
Pierre de Fermat got bored of Diophantus’ puzzle of x^2 + y^2 = z^2.
He wanted to find solutions for x^3 + y^3 = z^3. He could just come up with trivial solutions like 0^3 + 7^3 = 7^3 and so on.
He further went on to raise the powers and tried to find solutions for them. Despite his best efforts he couldn't find any solution.
So, he concluded that it is impossible to find whole number solutions to any of the following equations:
x^3 + y^3 = z^3
x^4 + y^4 = z^4
.
.
.
x^n + y^n = z^n, when n > 2.
He scribbled this in his copy of Diophantus’ Arithmetica in 1637.
He then confidently added this sentence (translated from Latin) “I have discovered a truly marvellous proof of this, which this margin is too narrow to contain” - most frustrating note in the history of mathematics, isn't it?
#Is_Homer’s_equation_true?
Take your calculators and check it out NOW!
If you have a calculator that can show more than 8 digits, then you’ll realise that it's not exactly correct, but almost!
The actual equation is:
3987^12 + 4365^12 = 4472.0000000070576171875^12
Well, Fermat’s theorem still holds good (and the 130 page proof given by Andrew Wiles too!)
This was a #mathematical_prank played by the writer David .S. Cohen!!
Cohen obviously knew Fermat’s equation had no solutions but this way he paid homage to one of the greatest mathematical minds Fermat and, also to Andrew Wiles. The prank amused almost everybody who were aware of Fermat's last theorem and checked out the same with the calculator.
#How_did_Cohen_find_Homer’s_equation?
In order to find this pseudo-solution, he wrote a computer program that would scan through the values of the variables involved until it found a number that was almost balanced. Wow! Isn’t it?
More about the author in the comments section.
The Simpsons has a lot of mathematical tit bits in its episodes! Hopefully I will cover few of the most intriguing ones through my posts.
Stay tuned for more stories on math!
Sources:
<1> The Simpsons and their mathematical secrets - a wonderful book written by Simon Singh. (For all math lovers- give it a read! You’ll have fun!)
<2> Google images.
#thesimpsons #fermat #homer #mathstories #theorems
