The Birth of Graph Theory: Leonhard Euler and the Königsberg Bridge Problem
Overview
The good people of Königsberg, Germany (now a part of Russia), had a puzzle that they liked to contemplate while on their Sunday afternoon walks through the village. The Preger River completely surrounded the central part of Königsberg, dividing it into two islands. These islands were connected to each other and to the mainland by seven bridges. The puzzle, which baffled the residents of Königsberg was this: Was it possible to pick a starting point in the town and find a walking route which would take them over each bridge exactly once? No one had ever found such a route; but did that mean that it did not exist? The problem caught the attention of the great Swiss mathematician, Leonhard Euler. Euler was able to prove that such a route did not exist, and in the process began the study of what was to be called graph theory.
Background
Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) is considered to be the most prolific mathematician in history. Originally educated for the ministry in order to follow in his father's footsteps, Euler discovered his talents in mathematics while attending the University of Basel.
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