After 38 years, Israeli solves math code

[Mugu]

By ARON HELLER, Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM - A mathematical puzzle that baffled the top minds in the esoteric field of symbolic dynamics for nearly four decades has been cracked — by a 63-year-old immigrant who once had to work as a security guard.

Avraham Trahtman, a mathematician who also toiled as a laborer after moving to Israel from Russia, succeeded where dozens failed, solving the elusive "Road Coloring Problem."

The conjecture essentially assumed it's possible to create a "universal map" that can direct people to arrive at a certain destination, at the same time, regardless of starting point. Experts say the proposition could have real-life applications in mapping and computer science.

The "Road Coloring Problem" was first posed in 1970 by Benjamin Weiss, an Israeli-American mathematician, and a colleague, Roy Adler, who worked at IBM at the time.


Read complete article at:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080320/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_math_riddle

[aquart]

1. How much do I love that it wasn't a young hotshot?

Soooooooo much!

[Mugu]

3. I can identify with that.

Cheers, Mugu

[RichardRay]

2. That is really great!

Math (the real work of mathematicians) is usually a young man's game; no prejudice here (I'm 60+ myself), but most original math is done at a very young age. It's great to see a (ahem) mature person make a breakthrough.

Just remember, mathematics isn't a science, it's beyond that.