Paul Erdős

Mathematics Hungarian 1913 – 1996 310 quotes

Most prolific mathematician of 20th century, 1500+ papers

Quotes by Paul Erdős

I want to see the proof. I want to see The Book proof.

Common saying

If I feel that I'm getting old, I'll stop doing mathematics. I don't want to be a burden.

Interview

I have been very lucky. I have been able to do what I love all my life.

Interview

It is not enough to be clever. You must also be lucky.

Lecture

The purpose of life is to prove and conjecture.

Common saying

I don't have a home. I am a guest of the world.

Interview

I am just a number theorist. I am not a philosopher.

Interview

Mathematics is the only true reality.

Interview

My goal is to prove as many theorems as possible.

Interview

I don't want to die before I solve this problem.

Common saying

The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.

Lecture

I am an old man, and I have seen many things.

Interview

I am a very simple person. I just love numbers.

Interview

I believe in the power of collaboration.

Lecture

Mathematics is a game. You play it with your mind.

Interview

I am just a small part of a big universe.

Interview

Another proof from The Book!

Referring to a perfect, elegant proof

Property P is true for almost all integers if it is true for all integers except for a set of density zero.

Definition often used by Erdős

A statistician is a man who draws a mathematically precise line from an unwarranted assumption to a foregone conclusion.

Attributed

I'm not saying I'm God, but I am saying that if God exists, he's a mathematician.

Attributed