Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site pucc-i Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!CS-Mordred!Pucc-H:Pucc-I:ags From: ags@pucc-i (Seaman) Newsgroups: net.ai Subject: Re: Fermat's Last Theorem Message-ID: <189@pucc-i> Date: Tue, 7-Feb-84 14:05:31 EST Article-I.D.: pucc-i.189 Posted: Tue Feb 7 14:05:31 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 01:19:46 EST References: <16403@sri-arpa.UUCP> Organization: Purdue University Computing Center Lines: 23 > I have heard that the ugly computer proof(?) of the 4-color theorem that > appeared in Scientific American is incorrect, i.e. not a proof. I also > have heard that one G. Spencer-Brown has proved the 4-color theorem. I > do not know whether either of these things is true and it's bugging me! > Is the 4-color theorem undecidable or not? > > --Charlie I don't believe the proof has appeared in S.A. -- only a description of the method that was used to generate the proof. The proof itself is a length computer listing and does not make interesting reading. Martin Gardner's column once contained (in an April issue) a claim that the problem had been solved. A map was reproduced that supposedly required five colors. This was before the computer proof was announced. -- Dave Seaman ..!pur-ee!pucc-i:ags "Against people who give vent to their loquacity by extraneous bombastic circumlocution."