Synopses & Reviews
In 2000, the Clay Foundation announced a historic competition: whoever could solve any of seven extraordinarily difficult mathematical problems, and have the solution acknowledged as correct by the experts, would receive $1 million in prize money. There was some precedent for doing this: In 1900 the mathematician David Hilbert proposed twenty-three problems that set much of the agenda for mathematics in the twentieth century.
The Millennium Problemschosen by a committee of the leading mathematicians in the worldare likely to acquire similar stature, and their solution (or lack of it) is likely to play a strong role in determining the course of mathematics in the twenty-first century. Keith Devlin, renowned expositor of mathematics and one of the authors of the Clay Institute's official description of the problems, here provides the definitive account for the mathematically interested reader.
Review
"Energetic and entertaining...the book's ultimate success is in shining a bright light on the mysteries of the human mind and the truly dizzying heights it can achieve." Portland Mercury
Review
"The quality of mathematical exposition is high, a sense of excitement is strongly conveyed." Nature
Synopsis
The definitive account of the Everests of mathematicsthe seven unsolved problems that define the state of the art in contemporary math.
About the Author
Keith Devlin is the Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University. He is a regular contributor to NPR's Weekend Edition with Scott Simon (where he is known as "the Math Guy") and has written numerous books. He lives in Palo Alto, California.