Mathematical Haiku
by
J. L. Alperin


Poems in haiku style; mathematical haiku are not haiku


Referee's Report

Beautiful theorem
The basic lemma is false
Reject the paper



Oral Exam

Questions like arrows
I give proofs, like swatting flies
Then smiles, all around



Fermat's Last Theorem

A marginal note
Enigma for centuries
A theorem of Wiles



Classification

Eighteen families
Twenty-six sporadic groups
All the simple ones





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