Évariste Galois was a French mathematician. He was a mathematical genius and a terrible role model.
Galois was born in 1811 in Bourg-la-Reine. In 1828, he attended the École Normale (he would have like to go to the École Polytechnique, but he failed the entrance exam) where he became highly involved in both polynomial equations and politics. Although he submitted several papers, none of them were published. His political activity got him more recognition- he was expelled from university and arrested several times. At age 20, he was shot in a duel (probably over a girl, though the details are sketchy) and died. Although he never published a paper while he was alive, he did succeed in proving the insolvability of the quintic (remember the nice little quadratic formula? Remember the messier cubic formula, or the even worse quartic? What about the quintic? Hopefully not, because it doesn't exist.) and also set up the basis for considerable amounts of Abstract Algebra.
When I say “Comme Évariste Galois,” I don't mean to do any of that. Except study math in Paris. I've studied both math and French for years, and this upcoming semester I am combining them for a study abroad at Pierre and Marie Curie University (Paris VI).
There are a number of Parisian mathematicians who would have made for a better role model than Galois, but few as interesting. Besides, if there's anyting I learned during Abstract Algebra, it's that all groups are finite and therefore Abelian; all infinite “groups” are non-commutative.* If I learned anything else, it's that the addition of “Galois” makes everything better.
Don't believe me? Try a few out:
- Geometry. Galois Geometry.
- Theory. Galois Theory.
- W. Galois W (also known as omega.)
Pretty convincing, isn't it?
My Abstract Algebra teacher liked Galois Theory, and Galois the person. After a couple weeks of trying to impress her by making connections between our papers and Galois, the connections started to feel a lot less flimsy. Although I have no intention of getting arrested, getting shot in a duel, or laying the groundworks of a new branch of mathematics that students will study and suffer over for years to come, I will be studying math in Paris. That practically makes us the same person!
At a minimum, it's enough to justify the use of his name in my blog. Because this is no ordinary study abroad. This is a Galois study abroad.
* That's a lie. Don't ever quote me on that.
