I Just Want to Be a Quiet Top Student

It is a happy event to publish a paper in the "Annual of Mathematics", the first of the four major international mathematics journals.

It is also a happy event to name a new mathematical theorem after one's own surname.

People are in good spirits on happy occasions, and Shen Qi, who has double happiness, walks in a different posture recently.

A few months ago, Shen Qi was looking for a paper published by Faltings in the 1980s, but accidentally discovered the "Muller-Manning Theorem" that was not recognized by the IMU.

Shen Qi's original intention was to try something interesting, but he did not expect to gain a lot.

"The left eyelid is jumping and jumping, good things are about to come~" Shen Qi hummed a little tune, strolling on the campus of Pudong University.

In a blink of an eye, this year's Thanksgiving is coming, and after Thanksgiving, Christmas is just around the corner.

After Christmas, it's time for Ouye and Zhou Yu'an to come to the United States to study in graduate school.

Professor Muller said that as long as Shen Qi insists on drinking coffee on the third floor of the Department of Mathematics building every Wednesday, with the "Muller-Shen theorem" and the thesis published in the "Annual Journal of Mathematics", Shen Qi will definitely be able to pass the doctoral defense.

In other words, if Shen Qi drank coffee until September next year, he would be able to obtain a PhD from Princeton.

The minimum time limit for obtaining a PhD in Princeton is 1 year, that is, it takes at least 1 year to obtain a PhD from the day you become a doctoral student. This is Princeton's rule.

Shen Qi complied with the regulations. It is inappropriate for you to force me to get a PhD right after I am a doctoral candidate.

Doctoral students are still in the student stage, half research and half study.

Once the doctoral defense is passed and the PhD is obtained, then Shen Qi will have to find a job.

Shen Qi's school days are coming to an end, and there are still 10 months to go.

Shen Qi cherishes his school days that are about to pass away, and he hopes to do some interesting things in the remaining 10 months of school days to commemorate the interesting youth that will eventually pass away.

"Odd, very wonderful paper." Professor Elon-Linden-Strauss met Shen Qi by chance, and chatted with Shen Qi.

"Elon, when will the second volume of your "Methods of Number Theory" be published? I can't wait to read it." Shen Qi's popularity in the Department of Mathematics is getting better and better, and his status is gradually improving. He naturally calls the winner of the Philippine Prize Lin Den Strauss is Elon, kind, warm, like an old friend.

Princeton's professors teach both graduate students and undergraduates. It is normal to meet a Fields Medal or Nobel Prize winner in an undergraduate class or in a corner of Pudong University. Most Fields Medalist and Nobel Prize winners don't have a lot of airs, and of course there are big bulls with eccentric tempers.

Normal or eccentric, at academics-first Princeton, the most effective way to earn the respect and attention of professors, students, and even cleaners and librarians is academic achievement.

Linden-Strauss and Shen Qi chatted while walking: "The preparation of the second volume of "Methods of Number Theory" has actually just begun. I am trying to explain the real use of number theory, which will take some time."

Number theory is simple but complex in most people's minds, delicate but not very practical.

Linden Strauss devoted himself to studying number theory from an applied perspective and made outstanding contributions.

The "Linden-Strauss formula" explained the measure rigidity of ergodic theory and its application in number theory, for which Linden-Strauss won the Fields Medal in 2010.

The "Naming Club" is not an actual organization, but it exists in the consciousness of the academics at the Commonwealth University.

Such-and-such theorem, such-and-such formula, such-and-such conjecture, such-and-such theory, such-and-such system, such-and-such equation... Among the living masters in the Department of Mathematics of Princeton, the highest naming record is 12, and the record holder is John Milnor , he just retired to Europe to spend his old age in peace.

The record in the history of mathematics is held by Gauss. There are as many as 110 theorems and formulas named after "Gauss", including some physical formulas.

Shen Qi became a member of the "Naming Club" because of the "Muller-Shen Theorem", and he became more and more acquainted with the big cow professors in the Department of Mathematics.

"Actually, I also want to sort out a version of my experience in number theory research, and talk about my shallow understanding of number theory." Shen Qi said.

"Why not, Qi, you are the one who proved Walsh's conjecture." Linden-Strauss encouraged Shen Qi to publish an academic monograph, and added: "And you have won the IMO gold medal."

"Eron, do you also follow IMO?" Shen Qi was a little surprised, the hero didn't mention the courage of the past, it's been more than four years, why mention these things.

"In the 1988 IMO, I won the bronze medal on behalf of Israel." Linden Strauss revealed a secret.

"Bronze medal..." Shen Qi was very surprised, you only got the bronze medal.

"The bronze medal in 1988 is more precious, equivalent to the gold medal in the 21st century." Shen Qi said.

"Maybe... looking forward to your monograph, Qi." Linden-Strauss walked to the Spellman Building and entered the building. He has a number theory class today to teach undergraduates.

Shen Qi found a second interesting thing, publishing an academic monograph dedicated to number theory.

Publishing an academic monograph on number theory is a big project, and it will not be done overnight. Shen Qi began to conceive and collect materials.

There are too many academic monographs and textbooks related to number theory, and Shen Qi does not want to simply write a monograph on number theory, which is not interesting, and even a bit boring.

"History of number theory? Yes, I can start from this dimension and write an interesting popular science book on number theory."

The development history of this branch of number theory is nearly two thousand years, from Diophantus to Goldbach, Fermat, Mason, Riemann, and then to modern Hardy, Ramanujan, Selberg, Hua Luogeng, Chen Jingrun, and half-way monks Wiles, Faltings... There are too many things to write.

"This popular science monograph on number theory should focus on the history of number theory development and the anecdotes of number theorists with seven points, and theoretical knowledge at three points." Shen Qi set the tone for the "History of Number Theory" that has not yet been drafted.

Shen Qi's long-term ambition is to write an epic "History of Mathematics", which may take ten years or more.

Let's start with a part of "History of Mathematics", try the water, practice your hand, and write a "History of Number Theory".

Whether it is "History of Mathematics" or "History of Number Theory", the author must be a mathematician rather than a writer.

Of course, a basic level of text organization is necessary, and mathematicians must at least achieve fluent sentences and meaningful words.

"So the proof of the 'Muller-Shen Jinjun Theorem' has to be accelerated. After completing this supplementary theorem, I will concentrate on writing the History of Number Theory."

While proving the "Muller-Shen Jinjun theorem", Shen Qi continued to lead the tutorial class and tutor his twelve boys.

In the tutoring class, Shen Qi maintained his usual tutoring style. Before discussing the professional knowledge of mathematics, he first asked a question about the history of mathematics.

Shen Qi wrote some symbols on the blackboard: f(x), Σ, e, i

Shen Qi asked a question: "Who invented these symbols? I hope you think carefully before answering. If you answer wrong, I will be very angry and will give you a C without hesitation."

f(x) represents the function, Σ represents the sum, e represents the natural logarithm base, and i represents the imaginary unit.

Students in the mathematics department deal with these symbols every day, and the boys answered in unison: "Leibniz!"

"Hey, Qi, this question is too easy."

"It is impossible for anyone not to know that it was Leibniz who invented the function and the notation for summation."

"Odd, let's ask some difficult questions, you are the one who proved the 'Muller-Shen theorem'."

"You have published papers in the Annals of Mathematics and the Journal of the American Mathematical Society."

The boys protested one after another, Shen Qi's history of mathematics topic today was too easy, they asked to make it more difficult.