Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson. They used math to find a new way to prove the Pythagorean Theorem
NEWSLINE PAPER,- Amazing work was done by US high school students Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson. They used math to find a new way to prove the Pythagorean Theorem. For more than 2,000 years, this theorem has been an important part of mathematics.
For hundreds of years, scientists thought that using trigonometry to prove the Pythagorean Theorem would be illogical because it would lead to repeating itself.
When you use the same idea to prove your point, you're using circular thinking. But Johnson and Jackson didn't follow this rule when they competed in a math contest.Two high school seniors solved a mathematical puzzle that was thought to be impossible for 2,000 years. pic.twitter.com/dSXSVrepl9
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) May 7, 2024
How they did it?
Calcea and Ne'Kiya were given an extra question on a math test during their last year of high school. They had to use trigonometry to come up with a new way to prove the Pythagorean Theorem.
The two worked hard on the problem for two months. These smart people came up with a new way to show that trigonometry could be used to prove the theory. They gave a talk about their work at a regional meeting of the American Mathematical Society in Atlanta in March 2023 because it was so interesting.
They not only found one good proof, but they also found a general pattern that could be used to make at least five more proofs using trigonometry. Their unique work made them famous all over the world.
Calcea and Ne'Kiya are very good at math, but they don't think of themselves as math experts. In a recent interview on CBS's 60 Minutes, they said they weren't very interested in working in math. Johnson said she might take math as a minor, but she didn't want it to be her main focus1.
Long-held beliefs are called into question by their work, which also opens up new ways to understand mathematical ideas. That shows how creative and determined they were, and it shows that new ideas and hard work can sometimes change even the strongest views.
(Anna Jensen/Newsline Paper Teams)