Even today my knowledge of math extends only through calculus, and even calculus I only dimly comprehend.
The secret of its success was a direct result of my ignorance. Their contributions to my column were far superior to anything I could write, and were a major reason for the column’s growing popularity. "One of the pleasures in writing the column was that it introduced me to so many top mathematicians, which of course I was not. In his memoirs Undiluted Hocus-Pocus (Princeton, 2013), Gardner recalls: This success is all the more remarkable considering that Gardner had no formal training in mathematics.
Even the articles that seemed to be purely for entertainment sometimes inspired important research, some of which led to developments with real impact on science, technology and society. The columns are still considered models of clarity and elegance for introducing fresh and engaging ideas in mathematics in non-technical ways.Īs we pause to celebrate the centennial of the man who wrote them, the ever-prolific Martin Gardner (1914–2010), we note that while many of his articles fell under the umbrella of “recreational mathematics,” others touched on cutting-edge concepts involving contributions from some of the world's most creative minds. The "Mathematical Games" column in Scientific American that began in January 1957 is a legend in publishing, even though it's been almost 30 years since the last one appeared.
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