Teens who made history with math discovery publish paper with new proofs

Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson, who surprised nan mathematics world erstwhile they produced innovative solutions to a 2,000-year-old puzzle, wowed nan mathematics world again erstwhile they presented respective caller ways of proving nan Pythagorean Theorem via trigonometry.

The two, now assemblage students, person travel up pinch 5 ways of solving nan problem utilizing trigonometry on pinch a method that reveals 5 different proofs. One of their proofs was antecedently presented astatine a convention and their caller solutions were published Monday successful nan diary American Mathematical Monthly.

They started studying nan mathematics problem arsenic portion of a precocious schoolhouse mathematics title astatine New Orleans' St. Mary's Academy. One of their proofs was antecedently presented astatine a convention and their caller solutions were published Monday successful nan diary American Mathematical Monthly.

"I was beautiful amazed to beryllium published," Jackson said successful a news release. "I didn't deliberation it would spell this far."

Bill Whitaker pinch Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson 60 Minutes

Della Dumbaugh, editor-in-chief of American Mathematical Monthly, said Jackson and Johnson's activity calls attraction to nan committedness caller perspectives tin bring to nan field. 

"They besides item nan important domiciled of teachers and schools successful advancing nan adjacent procreation of mathematicians," Dumbaugh said.

Jackson is now a student successful nan drugstore section astatine Xavier University successful New Orleans, wherever she sewage a afloat ride. Johnson, who was precocious schoolhouse people valedictorian, is studying biology engineering astatine Louisiana State University. Neither 1 is pursuing a profession successful math, though Johnson antecedently told 60 Minutes she whitethorn insignificant successful math.

"I americium very proud that we are some capable to beryllium specified a affirmative power successful showing that young women and women of colour tin do these things, and to fto different young women cognize that they are capable to do immoderate they want to do. So that makes maine very proud to beryllium capable to beryllium successful that position," Johnson said.

The St. Mary's mathematics contest 

The students started researching arsenic portion of a school-wide mathematics title pinch a challenging prize question, which asked students to create a caller impervious for nan Pythagorean Theorem, a basal rule of geometry, utilizing trigonometry.

Many mathematicians complete nan years person proved nan theorem utilizing algebra and geometry. For thousands of years, a impervious utilizing trigonometry was thought to beryllium impossible. Mathematician Jason Zimba submitted 1 successful 2009 and now Johnson and Jackson person added to nan canon.

They were seniors successful precocious schoolhouse during nan mathematics contest, motivated by nan committedness of $500 successful prize money. Over respective months, nan students spent almost each their free clip processing their ideas.

Math teachers astatine St. Mary's later submitted Johnson and Jackson's proofs to an American Mathematical Society convention successful Atlanta successful March 2023.

"Well, our coach approached america and was like, 'Hey, you mightiness beryllium capable to really coming this,'" Jackson told 60 Minutes. "I was like, 'Are you joking?' But she wasn't. So we went. I sewage up there. We presented and it went well, and it blew up."

Despite their awesome achievements, nan students insisted to 60 Minutes that they're not mathematics geniuses.

"I deliberation that's a stretch," Johnson said.