Fundamentals of Software Development 1

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Paul Erdös (1913-96)Paul Erdös (1913-96)The Most Prolific The Most Prolific

Mathematician Ever!Mathematician Ever!• Born: Budapest, HungaryBorn: Budapest, Hungary• Died: Warsaw, PolandDied: Warsaw, Poland• Mathematics was his life…Mathematics was his life…

– Number theory, combinatorics, Number theory, combinatorics, discrete mathematics…discrete mathematics…

• these form the foundation of these form the foundation of computingcomputing

• Everything else was an Everything else was an encumbrance to his encumbrance to his mathematical pursuitsmathematical pursuits– property, money, clothes, property, money, clothes,

intimacy, social pleasantries…intimacy, social pleasantries…• lived out of a suitcaselived out of a suitcase

Fundamentals of Software Development 1

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A True Genius: Erdös A True Genius: Erdös NumberNumber

• Erdös traveled the worldErdös traveled the world– living out of a suitcaseliving out of a suitcase– to pose and solve problemsto pose and solve problems– welcomed at any university or research centerwelcomed at any university or research center– the host's responsibility to lodge, feed, do income the host's responsibility to lodge, feed, do income

taxestaxes

• Erdös wrote may be over a thousand research Erdös wrote may be over a thousand research paperspapers– His Erdös number is 0His Erdös number is 0– Erdös’s co-authors have Erdös number 1Erdös’s co-authors have Erdös number 1– People who have written a joint paper with someone People who have written a joint paper with someone

with Erdös number 1 have Erdös number 2, and so with Erdös number 1 have Erdös number 2, and so on.on.

Fundamentals of Software Development 1

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Erdös NumberErdös NumberSource Source

http://www.oakland.edu/enp/http://www.oakland.edu/enp/• Erdös number 0 --- 1 personErdös number 0 --- 1 person• Erdös number 1 --- 504 peopleErdös number 1 --- 504 people• Erdös number 2 --- 6593 peopleErdös number 2 --- 6593 people• Erdös number 3 --- 33605 people Erdös number 3 --- 33605 people

– (includes (includes David MutchlerDavid Mutchler))• David Mutchler : Sushil Jajodia :David Mutchler : Sushil Jajodia :

Yechezkel Zalcstein : Erdös Yechezkel Zalcstein : Erdös

• Erdös number 4 --- 83642 peopleErdös number 4 --- 83642 people– (includes (includes Salman AzharSalman Azhar))

• S. Azhar : John Reif : Ramamohan Paturi :S. Azhar : John Reif : Ramamohan Paturi :Endre Szemerédi : ErdösEndre Szemerédi : Erdös

• Erdös number 5 --- 87760 peopleErdös number 5 --- 87760 people– (includes (includes Steve ChenowethSteve Chenoweth))

• S. V. Chenoweth : Francis Murray :S. V. Chenoweth : Francis Murray :Kenneth Miller : Harold Shapiro ErdösKenneth Miller : Harold Shapiro Erdös

Fundamentals of Software Development 1

Slide 4

SourcesSources• www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/ www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/

history/Mathematicians/Erdos.htmlhistory/Mathematicians/Erdos.html• www.oakland.edu/~grossman/erdoshp.htmlwww.oakland.edu/~grossman/erdoshp.html• www.oakland.edu/enpwww.oakland.edu/enp//