Can you overcome the challenge posed by the greatest intellects of humanity over nearly three centuries?
In the field of mathematics, problems related to prime numbers hold the record for difficulty. There are hypotheses with simple forms that have left mathematicians worldwide scratching their heads, “struggling” for hundreds of years without successful proof. One of these is the 263-year-old hypothesis by mathematician Christian Goldbach (1690 – 1764).
Mathematician Christian Goldbach
A part of the letter Goldbach sent to Euler
Christian Goldbach was a member of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences, a prominent 18th-century mathematician known for his work on differential equations. The problem that made his name famous after more than 250 years is the Goldbach Conjecture (hereafter referred to as the Goldbach Three-Prong Conjecture): “Every integer greater than two is the sum of three prime numbers.” For example: 35 = 19 + 13 + 3 or 77 = 53 + 13 + 11.
Similar to many other number theory problems, the Goldbach Three-Prong Conjecture is stated very simply and understandably, yet it is incredibly difficult to prove. This conjecture was written by Goldbach in a letter to mathematician Leonhard Euler (June 7, 1742), and 263 years later, no one has been able to fully prove it.
The closest person to solving the problem is mathematician Terence Tao from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has proven that every odd number can be expressed as the sum of at most five prime numbers, and he hopes to reduce that number from 5 to 3 to “achieve absolute victory” over the Goldbach conjecture in the future.
