The Riemann Hypothesis was first proposed in 1859

A teacher and student at King’s Way Christian High School have a possible solution to an unsolved math problem.

Oh, and this has been an unsolved math problem for 165 years.

For the past two years, Shawn Hillstrom, a teacher, and Sarah Crider, a student, have been researching the Riemann Hypothesis, first proposed by mathematician Bernard Riemann in 1859. Hillstrom and Crider teamed up after learning they both share a love of advanced mathematical concepts.

Proving the hypothesis would have major impacts on various subfields of math, especially on the study of prime numbers.

“Sarah is one of my most advanced math students,” Hillstrom said. “I wanted to give her a chance to learn and grow at her own pace, which led me to propose a joint research project.”

Two years of research later, the student and teacher now say they have a potential solution to the Riemann Hypothesis. They are looking to get their work peer-reviewed, and possibly published.

“There’s no guarantee that we’re right. Many have tried and failed before us, but to know that we’ve gotten this far is really exciting,” Crider said.

The journey, after all, can be just as important as the destination.

“A teacher’s hardest but most important job is to instill a desire to learn in their students,” Hillstrom said. “Working on this research with Sarah, I hope to have done just that, regardless of if we end up being right or wrong.”
The student and teacher are waiting patiently as their work is reviewed by professionals in the field of mathematics. In the meantime, they are working on another research project, to pass the time.

The first project is 165 years in the making. Sarah Crider and Shawn Hillstrom clearly have patience. 

This story was submitted by King’s Way Christian Schools.