EK-ACBOB6/7/063:10PMPage360 I ing equation:1782 las float throughtheair, includinganinnocent-look- surely ignoredthisbitofmathematicalgobbledygook. 360 numbers a,b,andcforwhicha than2,therearenononzerowhole that forany nbigger exponent famous claimbyPierredeFermat—proved justmonthsearlier— proved Fermat’s referringtothe lasttheorem!”onefanmarveled, tion causedabitofstir. “What’s goingon,heseemstohave dis- an episode. providedthethemeof occasionally even ofthegeneralpublic.Matheracy has to openjabsatthemathematical illit- fromCohen’stlety fake Fermat equation hundreds ofmathjokes, ranginginsub- humor intotheshow. written They’ve have theirbrandofgeeky injected computer scientists.Overtheyears,they former mathematicians,scientists,and ing staff boastsanimpressive array of call Cohen isingoodcompany. Althoughnobody would ter’s degreeincomputerscience. cised inHollywood scriptrooms:Cohenhasamas- exer- typically musclesthat don’t get intellectual seconds? 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This formsathree- z-axis,there.This hypothetical IGGUM F dimensional object knownasa“cube,”dimensional object or writers often playwriters often onmathematicalcultural RINK Professor Frink toseizecreditforsome- trying The Simpsons innately inferioratmathematics. vard University, thatwomenare suggested The The “Frinkahedron” inhonorofitsdiscoverer. : which airedonApril30.Itlampoonsthe : Lawrence Summers,thenpresidentofHar- scandal thatensuedin2005 when ter stagein“Girlsjustwanttohave sums,” But suppose we extend thesquarebeyond But supposeweextend thing,” shouldbevery Keelersays. “That Whoa, whoa—slowdown,egghead! familiar topeopleinacademia.” 12 “One of the themes we’ve harpedonis “One ofthethemeswe’ve In that +4365 Gender issuesinmathematicstake cen- Gender Simpsons 12 Simpsons =4472 writers have aperfectionis- Simpsons 12 (continued onpage364) , whichappearedon episode, Springfield The Simpsons Simpsons SCIENCE NEWS writing team writer at

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