John Edensor Littlewood Quote

The theory of numbers is particularly liable to the accusation that some of its problems are the wrong sort of questions to ask. I do not myself think the danger is serious; either a reasonable amount of concentration leads to new ideas or methods of obvious interest, or else one just leaves the problem alone. "Perfect numbers" certainly never did any good, but then they never did any particular harm.


A mathematicians's miscellany (ed. 1953)


The theory of numbers is particularly liable to the accusation that some of its problems are the wrong sort of questions to ask. I do not myself...

The theory of numbers is particularly liable to the accusation that some of its problems are the wrong sort of questions to ask. I do not myself...

The theory of numbers is particularly liable to the accusation that some of its problems are the wrong sort of questions to ask. I do not myself...

The theory of numbers is particularly liable to the accusation that some of its problems are the wrong sort of questions to ask. I do not myself...