Sci/Tech Teen solves Newton’s 300-year-old riddle.

[tom_mai78101]

An Indian-born teenager has won a research award for solving a mathematical problem first posed by Sir Isaac Newton more than 300 years ago that has baffled mathematicians ever since.

The solution devised by Shouryya Ray, 16, makes it possible to calculate exactly the path of a projectile under gravity and subject to air resistance.

Shouryya, who lives in Dresden, eastern Germany, came up with the solutions to this and a second mathematical riddle while working on a school project.

He is being hailed as a genius in the German press, but attributes his achievement to “curiosity and schoolboy naivety.”

German teen solves 300-year-old mathematical riddle posed by Sir Isaac Newton

16-year-old German boy is the first person to solve a mathematical problem posed by Newton more than 300 years ago.

www.foxnews.com

Yes, the teenager is Asian.

 

[camelCase]

He would have made a better version of Angry Birds.
The formula isn't shown in the article =(

 

[FireCat]

Okay, Good on him!

 

[Darthfett]

Yes, the teenager is Asian.

While India is in Asia, I would call him Indian, not Asian.

The formula isn't shown in the article =(

I know!!

 

[Jindo]

Someone on reddit showing and explaining the formula in question

Interesting stuff.

 

[Zakyath]

While India is in Asia, I would call him Indian, not Asian

why?

 

[Fatmankev]

why?

Generally when referring to someone as Asian, they're of East-Asian descent. Personally, I don't know anyone that would refer to someone from India as Asian, they'd say that they're Indian.

Not that it's wrong. That's just why he said it, I imagine.

 

[Varine]

Likewise when I'm talking about someone from France, I call them French. They're still European. Indians are still Asian.

 

[Darthfett]

why?

In addition to what's been said, I would categorize people as Asians when they tend to look like they are from China/Japan/Korea/etc. I know this is inaccurate, but Indians look quite different, and when I heard 'Asian' I expected the Chinese/Japanese/Korean look. Especially with him being highly capable in at such a young age, which is typically associated/generalized to East-Asians.

 

[Zakyath]

I know this is inaccurate

so we agree

 

[Accname]

In addition to what's been said, I would categorize people as Asians when they tend to look like they are from China/Japan/Korea/etc. I know this is inaccurate, but Indians look quite different, and when I heard 'Asian' I expected the Chinese/Japanese/Korean look. Especially with him being highly capable in at such a young age, which is typically associated/generalized to East-Asians.

What does it matter whether you imagine him to look chinese/japanese/whatevernese or indian?

He is from asia, russians are from asia as well, it doesnt make a difference.

 

[camelCase]

Buh..
Imma' go learn physics now..

Silly me, thinking I could comprehend it right now.

 

[Fatmankev]

What does it matter whether you imagine him to look chinese/japanese/whatevernese or indian?

He is from asia, russians are from asia as well, it doesnt make a difference.

What about the Russians from Europe? Russia takes up half of Europe and a quarter of Asia, and is arguably in both continents. Traditionally, Russia expanded from Europe, so to say that someone is Asian when they're Russian can be terribly inaccurate.

What does it matter? It just makes things clearer. Why describe it with one word that works when another obvious word works so much better? It's counter-intuitive. You don't call Canadians 'Amercians,' right? Even though they live in the Americas? You'd only call those in the States 'Americans,' just like you'd usually only refer to those of East Asian descent as Asians. I dunno, that's just how I see it.

 

[ReVolver]

I'm from America, North America, but I'm from Mexico, people don't tend to call me American even though I'm from that area.

 

[Darkrider]

Yes^

I'm from Argentina and I'm not reffered to as American either, Neither I look like what people describes as "south american"

 

[Darthfett]

so we agree

I don't pretend to know everything. I try and be as specific as I can. However, to be completely honest, I cannot tell the difference between someone from China, Japan, or Korea. I guess the answer is to 'be as specific as you can', and it's much easier to tell someone from India apart.

It seems to be common trend to refer to the majority of the continent as the name of the continent (e.g. Africans, Europeans, Asians, etc). What's interesting is that the Wikipedia article on the word oriental claims Australian/Canadian use of 'Asians' refers to China/Japan/Korea, while British use refers to India/Bangladesh/Pakistan/etc. It does not say much on American English (though being an American, I suspect it is similar to Australia/Canada.

Perhaps another reason to distinguish between India and the general term 'Asia': India accounts for just under 30% of the population of all Asia, and contains more people than all of North and South America.

What does it matter whether you imagine him to look chinese/japanese/whatevernese or indian?

He is from asia, russians are from asia as well, it doesnt make a difference.

It doesn't matter at all, but it did confuse me a bit when I saw the picture of him in the article.

 

[Accname]

I cannot agree with you people. I have no problem calling somebody from canada american, or somebody from india asian. It doesnt change anything for me and i really dont care how they call it.

 

[Fatmankev]

I cannot agree with you people. I have no problem calling somebody from canada american, or somebody from india asian. It doesnt change anything for me and i really dont care how they call it.

I don't see what's not to agree on. You sound like Firecat. Why would you use a word that could be confused with something else when there's already a word that's much clearer? Seriously. Maybe there's a reason you can't agree with us, but you haven't explained why.

So why use the word that doesn't get the job done when there's already a word that does?

 

[Accname]

I dont agree with you on this part:

I don't see what's not to agree on. [...] Why would you use a word that could be confused with something else when there's already a word that's much clearer? [...]

I dont think it could be confused, there is nothing to confuse. Its a fact that india is part of asia and calling somebody from india asian is absolutely correct and not confusing.
Saying he is from india does simply not matter in this case. They do not even need to say at all where he is from. Its not important in the context of his achievement.
I just dont understand why you would have a problem with them telling you he is asian and not indian. I dont understand why a discussion developes from something as insignificant as this and why you insist on calling him an indian instead of asian.

 

[Dan]

So about them Dodgers...