Paul Erdős

Mathematics Hungarian 1913 – 1996 310 quotes

Most prolific mathematician of 20th century, 1500+ papers

Quotes by Paul Erdős

A good problem is better than a solution.

Speech 1970

The universe is mathematical; we just need to decode it.

Interview

Jokes in math conferences keep the mind sharp.

Witty remark 1965

My legacy is in the problems I've posed.

Last interview 1996

Graph theory reveals the hidden connections of life.

Major work 1957

Travel broadens the mind and the theorems.

Letter

Elegance in proof is like poetry in motion.

Speech 1980

Doubt is the beginning of wisdom in mathematics.

Aphorism

I fear not the man who knows 10,000 problems, but the one who knows 1 and practices it.

Interview 1975

The joy of discovery is unmatched.

Personal reflection

Combinatorial explosions are both terrifying and beautiful.

Book excerpt 1960

Friends are the co-authors of life.

Speech 1985

Mathematics transcends borders and languages.

Letter

Every theorem has a story behind it.

Interview 1990

The end of a proof is the beginning of another.

Aphorism

In the end, it's all about the pursuit.

Personal reflection 1996

You don't have to be a genius to be a mathematician. You just have to be able to think clearly and be persistent.

Oral tradition, often attributed to Erdős

God may not play dice with the universe, but something is definitely wrong with the dice.

Oral tradition, often attributed to Erdős

It's not enough to be a good mathematician. You have to be a good person too.

Oral tradition, often attributed to Erdős

I'm not saying I'm a genius. I'm just saying I'm a good mathematician.

Oral tradition, often attributed to Erdős