Galois Groups and the Symmetries of Polynomials
By focusing on relationships between solutions to polynomial equations, rather than the exact solutions themselves, Évariste Galois changed the course of modern mathematics. The post Galois Groups and the Symmetries of Polynomials first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Before being mortally wounded in a duel at age 20, Évariste Galois discovered the hidden structure of polynomial equations. By studying the relationships between their solutions — rather than the solutions on their own — he created new concepts that have since become an essential part of many branches of mathematics. No one knows why Galois found himself on a Paris dueling ground early in the...
Originally published in Quanta Abstractions.
