Professor receives nearly one million dollars for solving mysterious algorithm

After spending his whole life researching an unsolved theorem for three centuries, Professor Andrew Wiles at Oxford University (UK) finally achieved a worthy result.

According to CNN, Professor Andrew Wiles had a burning passion for mathematics since he was a child, especially after reading The Last Problem by ET Bell. The arguments that the British professor put forth were first published in 1994 when he was working at Princeton University (New Jersey, USA).

He will receive the Abel Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, next May, 22 years after publishing his research in a 200-page text.

Fermat's Theorem was formulated in 1637 by French mathematician Pierre de Fermant. The theorem states that there are no integer (non-zero) solutions x, y, and z such that x to the n + y to the n = z to the n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 3.

Professor Andrew Wiles. Photo: CNN.

The Abel Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and is the most prestigious award in mathematics. The recipient receives a prize of $700,000.

When asked how it felt to solve a problem that has baffled mathematicians for centuries, Andrew said: “It was thrilling. It was the experience we lived for. Suddenly you see things clearly that had been vague and frustrating for so long.”

The Abel Prize awarding body used many beautiful words to praise Professor Wiles' contribution: "Wiles's proofs are not only the culmination of his career, an epochal moment for mathematicians, but also the result of an impressive personal journey that began three decades ago."

This is not the first time Professor Wiles has been recognized for his contributions to mathematics. He was knighted in 2000 and has won the National Academy of Sciences Prize in Mathematics, the Wolf Prize and the Royal Medal of the Royal Society.

According to VNE