"But what has made this problem special for amateurs is that there's a tiny possibility that there does exist an elegant 17th-century proof."

Andrew Wiles Mathematics See all quotes by Andrew Wiles →

React to this quote

More by Andrew Wiles

“But perhaps that's always the way with math problems, and we just have to find new ones to capture our attention.”

“Fermat couldn't possibly have had this proof.”

“I know it's a rare privilege, but if one can really tackle something in adult life that means that much to you, then it's more rewarding than anything I can imagine.”

“Always try the problem that matters most to you.”

“However impenetrable it seems, if you don't try it, then you can never do it.”

“But the best problem I ever found, I found in my local public library. I was just browsing through the section of math books and I found this one book, which was all about one particular problem -- Fermat's Last Theorem.”

Resonant Thoughts

"I wanted to show that if you claim being trans is unacceptable in traditional Judaism, well, here is a community that is not just okay with accepting me as I am, but is celebrating with me, rejoicing …"

— Abby Stein

Religion1991

#philosophy

"The same King placed holiness in abstinence from marriage. Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical history tells us, that Musanus wrote a tract against those who fell away to the heresy of the Encratites, whic…"

— Isaac Newton

Mathematics1934–2014

#justice

"The internationality of socialism is a fact that is daily becoming more evident and more significant. We socialists are one nation to ourselves, – one and the same international nation in all the land…"

— Wilhelm Liebknecht

Politics1736–1805

#truth

"Well, yeah, Erika Jayne is a mask, even though she's a great part of your personality, it's still a performance persona. When I was standing on the red circle, there was nothing there. just a human be…"

— Erika Jayne

Music1971

#Human Nature