Top 10 Amazing Facts About The Great Ramanujan

Top 10 Amazing Facts About Srinivasa Ramanujan

1. Self-Taught Genius:

   Ramanujan had almost no formal training in pure mathematics. Despite this, he independently discovered numerous mathematical theorems and formulas that were far ahead of his time.

2. Contribution to Infinite Series:

   He made significant contributions to infinite series, including the famous Ramanujan series for π, which is one of the fastest-converging series for calculating π.

3. A Natural Gift for Numbers:

   By the age of 13, Ramanujan mastered advanced trigonometry without formal education. He started solving problems from advanced books like G. S. Carr’s Synopsis of Pure Mathematics.

4. His Collaboration with G.H. Hardy:

   In 1913, Ramanujan sent a letter to the famous British mathematician G.H. Hardy, filled with groundbreaking theorems. Hardy immediately recognized his brilliance and invited him to Cambridge.

5. Inventor of Ramanujan Prime and Ramanujan Theta Function:

   Ramanujan introduced concepts like Ramanujan primes, which are useful in number theory, and the Ramanujan theta function, which has applications in modern physics, including string theory.

6. Contributions to Partition Theory:

   He developed highly advanced formulas to calculate the partition of numbers (ways to express a number as the sum of integers), which are still widely used in combinatorics and computer science.

7. The Magic of 1729:

   The number 1729 is known as the Hardy-Ramanujan number. When Hardy remarked it was a dull number, Ramanujan responded:

   "No, it is a very interesting number; it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways!"

   1729 = 1^3 + 12^3 = 9^3 + 10^3

8. Visionary Insights into Modular Forms:

   Ramanujan's work on modular forms, particularly the tau function, laid the foundation for various developments in algebra and number theory in the 20th century.

9. Religious Inspiration:

   Ramanujan believed that his mathematical insights were divinely inspired by Goddess Namagiri. He often credited her for his intuition and creativity.

10. Prolific Output Despite Ill Health:

    In his short life of 32 years, Ramanujan produced nearly 3,900 mathematical results, including equations, identities, and theorems. Many of these are still being explored and applied in modern mathematics.

Srinivasa Ramanujan's legacy is a testament to the power of innate talent, passion, and perseverance, inspiring generations of mathematicians worldwide.