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Albert Einstein helps 15 yr. old girl ?....
Albert Einstein helps 15 yr. old girl ?....
Item # 715993
May 16, 1952
THE NEW YORK TIMES, May 16, 1952
* Albert Einstein makes a mistake ?
* Johanna Mankiewicz - 15 yr. old student
* 10th grade geometry class problem
Near the bottom of the front page is a four column heading: "Einstein Sends Q. E. D. to Problem of Schoolgirl, 15" with subhead and a facsimile of the diagram sent to the 15 year girl. Turns out that Einstein's solution to the problem was incorrect. See below for more information.
Complete with all 46 pages, rag edition in nice condition.
Note: In 1952, a 14-year-old student named Johanna Mankiewicz reached out to Albert Einstein for assistance with a challenging geometry problem assigned in her 10th-grade class at the Westlake School for Girls in Los Angeles. Johanna, the daughter of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (co-writer of Citizen Kane), was part of a prominent Hollywood family. Her classmates included future actress Jane Fonda. Frustrated by the problem, Johanna decided to seek help from the most renowned physicist of the time.
Einstein, then 73 and residing in Princeton, New Jersey, graciously responded with a hand-drawn diagram and a note. However, his solution was later found to be incorrect. This incident was reported in The New York Times on May 16, 1952, under the headline: "Einstein Sends Q.E.D. to Problem of Schoolgirl, 15." The article included a facsimile of Einstein's diagram and noted the error in his solution .
Fun Trivia
Rare Newspapers
This story highlights Einstein's humility and his willingness to engage with young minds, even if it meant making a mistake. It also underscores the idea that curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge are valuable at any age.
Category: The 20th Century
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