The man who knew infinity
His birth date is celebrated as national mathematics day and he is known also as father of mathematics!!
Yes, he is Srinivasa Ramanujan. Born on 22 December 1887 in
Erode, Tamil Nadu.
Ramanujan compiled nearly 3900 results which include identities and equations, of which most are proven correct. He showed great interest in field of mathematics at early age, his scores in math were higher. Ramanujan could not finish his diploma because he could not clear subjects as arts; he then dropped out of college. Suffered from various health problems mainly due to poverty, he was not offered admission into University college of London as his approach to subject was informal.
Ramanujan compiled nearly 3900 results which include identities and equations, of which most are proven correct. He showed great interest in field of mathematics at early age, his scores in math were higher. Ramanujan could not finish his diploma because he could not clear subjects as arts; he then dropped out of college. Suffered from various health problems mainly due to poverty, he was not offered admission into University college of London as his approach to subject was informal.
Later he sent his work to G.H.Hardy who is renowned
mathematician in Trinity College Cambridge with the help of limited friends .Hardy
was very much impressed by the depth and nature of the work but raised uncertain
as this came from an Indian lacking formal education. Hardy acknowledged the
letter and requested Ramanujan to come over to London, as he was a Brahmin and crossing
waters was considered unacceptable, Ramanujan rejected his offer. He was
offered a scholarship of 75 rupees per month, it helped him focus on his work,
in his letter he stated to Hardy “to preserve my brains I want food and this is
my first consideration”.
Ramanujan went to England in 1914 after he was convinced by
his mother and wife. He on association with G.H.Hardy and Littlewood published
various papers on highly composite numbers, elliptic functions, infinite series
as well as refined his previous works.
Ramanujan is one of the youngest and 2nd Indian to become
collaborator of Royal Society in 1918, same year, he was also elected as fellow
of Trinity College Cambridge (first Indian). His declining health because of
cold weather and lack of vegetarian food during WW1(World War 1) forced him to
return to India.
He was diagnosed of tuberculosis and breathed his last on 26
April 1920 at a mere age of 32. Exquisite films and books were published on his
contributions to the field of mathematics and struggles that he overcame, most
recent one being ‘The man who knew infinity’ was released in 2016. Books
include ‘The Indian clerk’ by David Seavitt,’lost notebook of Ramanujan’, etc.
Hardy-Ramanujan number:
1729
|
Hardy said “I remember once going
to see him when he was ill at Putney.
I had ridden in taxi cab number 1729 and remarked that the number seemed to
me rather a dull one, and that I hoped it was not an unfavorable omen. "No," he
replied, "it is a very interesting number; it is the smallest number
expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways."
|
13+123=93+103=1729
it must be noted that positive cubes are considered and on inclusion of negative cubes leads to result of 91
it must be noted that positive cubes are considered and on inclusion of negative cubes leads to result of 91
Ramanujan believed that an equation didn’t make sense unless it expresses a
thought of god, his works were worth a few lifetimes not just one. He earned
his name as the man who knew infinity.
