Connect with us

Curiosity

$1M Prize for solving math problem

Published

13 years ago

 on

Billionaire Banker Offers Hefty Million Dollar Stash For Anyone Who Solves Math Problem

It isn’t every day that a wealthy banker will offer to part ways with some of his private stash, but today that is the case. Billionaire banker Andrew Beal owner of the Beal Bank and Beal Bank USA has offered a million dollar cash prize to the first person who either proves or disproves what is termed the “Beal’s Conjecture”. At face value, it appears to be a relatively straight-forward exercise in logic.

The formula works on this wise: If A^x+B^y=C^z where all variables (A,B,C,x,y,z) are non-negative integers and each power (x,y,z) is greater than two, then A,B,C each have a common prime factor. However, the best minds in mathematics have been able to either prove or disprove the formula.

So, Andrew Beal, a self-proclaimed math aficionado who wants to inspire more study of math, has offered a million-dollar cash bounty to the first person who can solve the problem. Initially, he offered a small sum of $5,000 back in 1997, but over the past sixteen years he’s steadily increased the prize.

A spokesman for the American Math Society said that the math problem is harder than the most recent theorem which was solved, Fermat’s Last Theorem, which took a century to answer.

Source material:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=188716769&ft=1&f=

Related Topics:

With a sharp eye for strategy and a deep understanding of the online gambling industry, Jacob has become a leading voice and trusted guide for enthusiasts and seasoned bettors alike. Driven by a passion for games of skill and a keen interest in the mathematics of gambling.