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Ramanujian's Deathbed Problem Cracked
Jake's Mom sends word of the serendipitous solution to a decades-old mathematical mystery. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin have unraveled a major number theory puzzle left at the death of one of the twentieth century's greatest mathematicians, Srinivasa Ramanujan. From the press release: "Mathematicians have finally laid to rest the legendary mystery surrounding an elusive group of numerical expressions known as the 'mock theta functions.' Number theorists have struggled to understand the functions ever since... Ramanujan first alluded to them in a letter written [to G. H. Hardy] on his deathbed, in 1920. Now, using mathematical techniques that emerged well after Ramanujan's death, two number theorists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have pieced together an explanatory framework that for the first time illustrates what mock theta functions are, and exactly how to derive them."
But...but....with the "i" it almost anagrams to "marijuana"!
As a republican I feel it my responsibity to manufacture criminals. People need punished!
I think you imagined the "i"
Heheh...no kidding. When I saw "Ramanujian" in the header, my first thought was, "An Armenian created a math problem?!"
This does seem like good work, but realistically we won't know how important it is until it appears as a deus ex machina device on NUMB3RS.
There are no karma whores, only moderation johns
You mean there was even MORE math after "Integration by Parts"? Sheesh you guys need to get a life :P
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Ramanujan was already a complex guy.
Trying to Wick rotate him would be a pretty negative thing to do.
Reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.