I know it's a rare privilege, but if one can really tackle something in adult life that means that much to you, then it's more rewarding than anything I can imagine. Andrew Wiles adultimaginelife Change image and share on social
It could be that the methods needed to take the next step may simply be beyond present day mathematics. Perhaps the methods I needed to complete the proof would not be invented for a hundred years. Andrew Wiles completedayhundred Change image and share on social
Some mathematics problems look simple, and you try them for a year or so, and then you try them for a hundred years, and it turns out that they're extremely hard to solve. There's no reason why these problems shouldn't be easy, and yet they turn out to be extremely intricate. Andrew Wiles easyextremelyhard share on social
There are proofs that date back to the Greeks that are still valid today. Andrew Wiles backdategreek Change image and share on social
Always try the problem that matters most to you. Andrew Wiles matterproblem Change image and share on social
I'm sure that some of them will be very hard and I'll have a sense of achievement again, but nothing will mean the same to me - there's no other problem in mathematics that could hold me the way that this one did. Andrew Wiles achievementhardhold share on social
It's fine to work on any problem, so long as it generates interesting mathematics along the way - even if you don't solve it at the end of the day. Andrew Wiles dayendfine Change image and share on social
Just because we can't find a solution it doesn't mean that there isn't one. Andrew Wiles findsolution Change image and share on social
We've lost something that's been with us for so long, and something that drew a lot of us into mathematics. But perhaps that's always the way with math problems, and we just have to find new ones to capture our attention. Andrew Wiles attentioncapturedraw share on social
