Article 4PRXM 42 was the last remaining number below 100 which could not be expressed as the sum of three cubes - until now

42 was the last remaining number below 100 which could not be expressed as the sum of three cubes - until now

by
Mark Frauenfelder
from on (#4PRXM)
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Since 1954, scientists have been using computers to search for three numbers that could be cubed and summed to equal 42. Every other possible number below 100 already had a known solution, but the solution for 42 wasn't found until recently. Here's Numberphile on the significance of this discovery.

Previously: 42 is the sum of three cubes

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