¶ Euler
RBF Definitions
“A Mathematical Discovery of Euler is illustrated in this table. The theorem states that every positive whole number can be expressed as the sum of no more than four squares of other whole numbers.”
– Caption to Paul R. Halmos, “Innovation in Mathematics,” p.72, Scientific American, Sept’58
RBF has written in margin of above:
“If he had said ‘triangles of numbers’ instead of ‘squares of numbers,’ it would have been a creation instead of a discovery, and it would have illuminated all of the understanding of structure.”
- RBF file of notes for Synergetics. Approx. Sep’58
