🔬 Black Girl Magic Meets Mathematics: Two Teen Scholars Shatter 2,000-Year-Old "Impossible" Barrier

🔄 Decolonizing Pythagorean Knowledge 🌺 Blooming Where Others Said They Couldn't Grow 🎭 The Mathematics of Resistance and Persistence

Nov 01, 2024

😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾

Imagine two brilliant Black teenage girls who solved a 2,000-year-old math puzzle that people said was impossible! Ne'Kiya and Calcea proved a famous triangle rule (called the Pythagorean theorem) in a totally new way. They did this while still in high school, and now they're in college studying to be a pharmacist and environmental engineer. They showed the world that young Black women can do amazing things in mathematics! 🧮✨

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🗝️ Takeaways

🎓 Two young Black women from a historically Black Catholic school achieved what mathematicians claimed was "impossible"
🧮 The discovery adds 10 new proofs to the Pythagorean theorem using trigonometry
🌱 Both scholars are now pursuing studies in pharmacy and environmental engineering
📖 Their work was published in the prestigious American Mathematical Monthly
🚪 Their achievement opens doors for other young mathematicians of color
💪🏾 Persistence and dedication were key to their success despite obstacles

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🎯 From High School to History Books: How Two Black Women Revolutionized Ancient Mathematics

two young Black women who proved Pythagorean theorem — **Ne’Kiya Jackson (left) and Calcea Johnson (right) recently published 10 new trigonometry-based proofs of the Pythagorean theorem that they developed while in high school. Image: Calcea Johnson**

🎯 Breaking Down the Discovery

In a stunning demonstration of intellectual prowess that challenges traditional academic power structures, Ne'Kiya Jackson and Calcea Johnson have accomplished what the mathematical establishment long deemed "impossible."

Their groundbreaking work proves the Pythagorean theorem using trigonometry and does so in ten distinct ways, effectively shattering centuries of mathematical dogma.

The significance of their achievement cannot be overstated. In 1927, mathematician Elisha Loomis declared such proofs impossible, claiming they would inevitably result in circular reasoning. Like many other "impossibility" claims throughout history, this proclamation reflected not the true limitations of mathematics but rather the limited imagination of the establishment.

👩🏾‍🔬 Meet the Mathematical Mavens

Ne'Kiya Jackson and Calcea Johnson's journey began at St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans, one of the country's oldest Catholic schools for Black women. Their breakthrough emerged from a simple bonus question in a math contest offering a $500 prize. What started as a high school challenge evolved into a mathematical revolution.

Today, Jackson pursues a doctoral degree in pharmacy at Xavier University of Louisiana, while Johnson studies environmental engineering at Louisiana State University's Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College. Their diverse academic interests reflect a holistic approach to scholarship that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.

💫 The Journey to Publication

The path to publication reveals the persistent barriers facing young scholars of color in academia. The authors candidly share in their paper,

"Learning how to code in LaTeX is not so simple when you're also trying to write a 5-page essay with a group, and submit a data analysis for a lab."

Yet, they persevered, transforming what could have been merely a high school achievement into a peer-reviewed publication in The American Mathematical Monthly.

Their work includes:

Five complete proofs
A methodology for discovering five additional proofs
A groundbreaking approach using infinite sequences of triangles
A comprehensive challenge to traditional mathematical assumptions

🏫 St. Mary's Academy Legacy

The significance of this discovery emerging from a historically Black Catholic school cannot be overlooked. St. Mary's Academy represents a tradition of excellence in Black education that has persisted despite systemic barriers and historical marginalization.

This achievement is a testament to historically Black institutions' crucial role in nurturing talent that mainstream institutions might overlook or undervalue.

🌟 Impact and Inspiration

Johnson's words resonate with a powerful truth: "I am very proud that we are both able to be such a positive influence in showing that young women and women of color can do these things."

Their achievement doesn't just add to mathematical knowledge; it reconstructs the narrative about who can contribute to mathematical discovery.

💭 Commentary

The story of Jackson and Johnson exemplifies what's possible when brilliant minds are given space to flourish, regardless of age or background. Their success challenges multiple intersecting systems of oppression:

Ageism in academia
Racial barriers in STEM
Gender discrimination in mathematics
Institutional skepticism of non-traditional approaches

Their work isn't just about mathematics; it's about justice, representation, and the democratization of knowledge production. It stands as a powerful refutation of colonial academic structures that have historically marginalized voices of color.

This story represents more than mathematical innovation; it's a beacon of hope and a challenge to the status quo. Jackson and Johnson's achievement isn't just about proving theorems – it's about proving possibilities, about showing that brilliance knows no boundaries of race, gender, or age. Their work is a powerful testament to the untapped potential in our communities when allowed to shine.

The mathematical establishment must now reckon with its history of declaring things "impossible" without considering the possibility that new perspectives, particularly those from marginalized communities, might illuminate paths forward that traditional approaches missed.

As we celebrate these brilliant young scholars, we must also question how many other groundbreaking discoveries remain unmade because of systemic barriers to academic access and recognition.