## Saturday, January 2, 2010

### More recreational math reading suggestions

Georgia Tech Computer Science Prof. Dick Lipton has a blog which our more advanced math circle students may enjoy: Gödel's Lost Letter and P=NP.

AAMC Advisor Prof. Krishnamoorthy recommends the blog and, in particular, this post discussing some of Prof. Lipton's favorite books.

Prof. Moorthy is currently reading and enjoying one of the books on Prof. Lipton's list, The Honors Class: Hilbert's Problems and Their Solvers by Ben Yandell.

I (Mary) especially liked Prof. Lipton's description of the book:

This is a book on the famous list of 23 problems of David Hilbert. What I like so much about this book is the history behind the solutions to the problems. In some cases Hilbert problems were “solved” for decades, yet eventually it was discovered that the solutions were wrong or had gaps. Part of my “hidden” agenda is to remind us all that even the immortals make mistakes, have proofs with gaps, and are human.

I heartily endorse and agree with Prof. Lipton's hidden agenda!