Niels Henrik Abel

Mathematics Norwegian 1802 – 1829 450 quotes

Proved impossibility of solving quintic by radicals

Quotes by Niels Henrik Abel

The concept of a mathematical structure provides a framework for organizing and understanding mathematical objects.

Mathematical writings

I have always believed that mathematics is a universal language that transcends cultural boundaries.

Attributed

The development of abstract algebra has had a profound impact on modern mathematics.

Mathematical writings

I have always been a proponent of clear and concise mathematical communication.

Attributed

The theory of differential equations is essential for modeling dynamic systems in various fields.

Mathematical writings

I have always found inspiration in the works of great mathematicians throughout history.

Attributed

The concept of a mathematical model allows us to represent real-world phenomena in a simplified and analyzable form.

Mathematical writings

I have always been committed to fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of mathematics.

Attributed

Mathematics is a science which, by its very nature, demands the utmost precision and clarity. Yet, how often do we find it shrouded in obscurity and confusion, as if its practitioners were deliberately trying to hide its beauty?

Letters to his friends

If one wants to make progress in mathematics, one must not read the works of the masters, but rather try to solve the problems oneself. For it is in the struggle that one learns, not in the passive reception of knowledge.

Reflections on Mathematics

The mathematicians are like the French: whatever you say to them, they translate it into their own language, and forthwith it is something entirely different.

Letter to Holmboe

It appears that the French mathematicians are more concerned with their own glory than with the advancement of science.

Letter to Holmboe

I have discovered such a wonderful theorem, but I have no time to write it down. It is too beautiful to be lost.

Attributed, possibly apocryphal

One must always generalize. Generalization is the soul of mathematics.

Reflections on Mathematics

The infinite is the realm of the mathematician. Without it, mathematics would be nothing.

Reflections on Mathematics

It is a strange thing that when one is poor, one is always in a hurry. When one is rich, one has all the time in the world.

Letter to his brother

I am so poor that I cannot even afford to be ill.

Letter to his brother

The professors here in Berlin are very learned, but they are also very slow. It is as if they are afraid of new ideas.

Letter to Holmboe

I have found a proof of the impossibility of solving the general equation of the fifth degree. It is a pity that no one will believe me.

Letter to Holmboe

The true mathematician is a poet, for he sees beauty in the most abstract of forms.

Reflections on Mathematics