1913-1996

Hungarian Mathematician

Not only was Paul Erdös one of the most extraordinary mathematical geniuses who ever lived, he was also a standout in a profession already noted for its eccentrics. Erdös, who said he had never buttered his own bread until he was 21 years of age, in some ways remained an eternal child, traveling the world and popping in on friends, whom he expected to host him and join him in grappling with mathematical complexities. His work in number theory, discrete mathematics, and combinatronics (a branch of mathematics involving arrangement of finite sets) won him many admirers; but to his many friends and acquaintances, the most amazing thing about Paul Erdös was Paul Erdös.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, on March 26, 1913, Erdös was an only child by default, his two older sisters having died of scarlet fever...