this post was submitted on 06 May 2024
393 points (95.8% liked)

Uplifting News

11303 readers
56 users here now

Welcome to /c/UpliftingNews, a dedicated space where optimism and positivity converge to bring you the most heartening and inspiring stories from around the world. We strive to curate and share content that lights up your day, invigorates your spirit, and inspires you to spread positivity in your own way. This is a sanctuary for those seeking a break from the incessant negativity often found in today's news cycle. From acts of everyday kindness to large-scale philanthropic efforts, from individual achievements to community triumphs, we bring you news that gives hope, fosters empathy, and strengthens the belief in humanity's capacity for good.

Here in /c/UpliftingNews, we uphold the values of respect, empathy, and inclusivity, fostering a supportive and vibrant community. We encourage you to share your positive news, comment, engage in uplifting conversations, and find solace in the goodness that exists around us. We are more than a news-sharing platform; we are a community built on the power of positivity and the collective desire for a more hopeful world. Remember, your small acts of kindness can be someone else's big ray of hope. Be part of the positivity revolution; share, uplift, inspire!

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 37 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I see that now. Higher up in the article was a bit misleading

What no one told them was there had been more than 300 documented proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem using algebra and geometry, but for 2,000 years a proof using trigonometry was thought to be impossible, … and that was the bonus question facing them.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The 60 Minutes episode is a bit misleading in how they discuss this too. Basically it's very impressive because they were high school students. A proof of this kind had only been done once before. They each found one independently and worked to find a general method for more proofs. Watch the 60 Minutes episode.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Half the time in these stories it comes out the parents/relatives/friends happen to actually be experts in the field and work at some high level place where the teens in question just happened to have access to cutting edge resources and 'guidance'.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago (1 children)

They already went to a cutting edge private school that has a 100% graduation rate. I could see what you mean if it was just one student, but these kids were working independently. The school is the common thread.

What you say might be true if it were an easy accomplishment for an adult. Like those kids who are 10 years old with 2 businesses. Then you find out that their parents have 5 businesses. What are the chances that two students independently have outstanding mathematicians as parents?

Not only that, but they also explained their proofs. Watch the video. It's not a "kid with a boring online business" story.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

And they only got $500 for it. Not quite on the level of the Fields Medal... although apparently even that's only $15,000 CAD (not sure why Wikipedia tells me the amount in Canadian money, but whatever).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Whether that's true or not, the article transcript explains why this is still a big deal:

Bill Whitaker: Why do you think so many people found what you did to be so impressive?

Ne'Kiya Jackson: Probably because we're African American, one. And we're also women. So I think-- oh, and our age. Of course our ages probably played a big part.