Whites have by far been the most productive race when it comes to mathematics. Known since the Sumerians, the quadratic formula allows one to find solutions to a degree two polynomial equation with complex coefficients. In the early 16th century, Italian mathematicians discovered a analogous formulas for cubic equations and quartic equations. In all these formulas, every solution is able to be represented in the form of basic arithmetic and the use of radicals. Naturally, it was wondered if such a formula, using only basic arithmetic and radicals, existed which could solve quintic equations and beyond. If no such formula existed, then which polynomials were solvable by such means?
In the early 19th century, the 22 year old Norwegian mathematician Niels Abel proved that it was impossible to generalize a formula to solve quintic equations which used only basic arithmetic and radicals. The Abel prize, which is possibly the most coveted prize in all mathematics, bears his name for this contribution and many more.
A few years later, the teenaged French mathematician Évariste Galois developed a new field of mathematics which now bears his name. His genius allowed him to classify exactly which polynomial equations of degree five and beyond were solvable using basic arithmetic and radicals.
In the span of a decade, two young white mathematicians had solved a 300 year old problem. Unfortunately, Abel would die of tuberculosis at the age of 26 and Galois would die in a duel at the age of 20. They had accomplished arguably more than any non-white mathematician ever has and neither lived to be 30. Sometimes when I'm feeling down on the future of our race, I think of people like Galois and Abel, and pray there's more young white geniuses to come.
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