This fascinating cartoon reminds me of a legendary anecdote involving the British mathematician G.H. Hardy and the Mathematical sorcerer of Madras, Srinivasa Ramanujan...
Ramanujan had fallen into poor health, possibly on account of poor acclimation to the Cambridge climate.
But more likely as a result of excessive communion with the great Namagiri நாமகிரித்தாயார் who had been, as it were, Ramanujan's mathematical Diotima.
But more likely as a result of excessive communion with the great Namagiri நாமகிரித்தாயார் who had been, as it were, Ramanujan's mathematical Diotima.
Whatever the case may be, Ramanujan was sick in bed when G.H. Hardy came to visit him.
They were having a hearty laugh at a low ranked college in America called Goucher.
They were having a hearty laugh at a low ranked college in America called Goucher.
G.H. Hardy, ever the number theoretic obsessive, said "111 may be the embarrassingly low ranking of the peasant Jonah Goldberg's college, but otherwise its a rather unremarkable number"
But then Srinivasa, with the divinity of the great Namagiri once against radiating through his brilliant brown eyes, exclaimed..."no no Dr. Hardy! it's also the smallest magic constant of 3x3 square of distinct primes!!!"
