2007-11-23 08:12:04 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
I've talked with a physics professor who specializes in the history of science, with an emphasis on the early 20th century.
He showed me the kind of mathematics exam that students at Einstein's gymnasium (high school) would have needed to pass in order to graduate. The exam was the actual test the school used the year before einstein's year (my friend couldn't get a hold of the one from his year.) I am a college math prof, and most of our college math majors today would find that test to be pretty challenging!
The story about his being bad at math comes from a comment one of his former teachers made after Einstein became famous. The teacher simply said that while Einstein was fine in school, he (the teacher) would never have guessed that Einstein would go on to distinguish himself to the extent that he did.
I can say from my own experience that not all "A" students are alike. Most get A's by simply working hard and/or being pretty talented. But every now and then I meet a student who I know is incrediblhy gifted, and who in a few years will be in a position to be teaching ME things! Apparantly this German teacher did not think Einstein was in this latter category at the time Einstein was in his class. That is a far cry from saying he was bad at math!
(And keep in mind that when people debate whether Einstein was 'bad" at math, we are talking about mathematics at the level of tensor analysis! Everyone takes it for granted that Einstein mastered the "easy stuff', like calculus! The debate is about how advanced in higher mathematics he was able to get.)
As for the comment about Einstein's wife doing all his math for him, I've read excerpts from those letters, and i think there is too much being made of them. Einstein went on extensive speaking tours. It is very difficult to BS your way through a mathematical lecture, pretending the work presented is your own when it is not. This is especially true during the questions and answers after the lecture.
2007-11-23 08:28:52 · answer #1 · answered by Michael M 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's true that he might not have been good at it. However, I say that he probably had high standards for himself. His math skill would probably seem godly to an average person but not so great to someone similar to him.
2007-11-23 16:18:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was terrible at school. Not the same thing. He also pretended to be stupid/crazy so he wouldn't have to work for the Nazis.
2007-11-23 16:18:38 · answer #3 · answered by DWRead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he was not bad at math. he just liked to learn his own way, not the teachers told him to. like when you want to do something your own stratigy but u have to do it another way or you'll get it wrong. he was a genius.
2007-11-23 16:17:11 · answer #4 · answered by ~RyanRoss4Ever~ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not at all, but why do maths when the woman you love does it for you?
2007-11-23 16:14:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋