Unlawful Calculations: A Look Into Lie’s Notebook

摘要

© 2022 The Mathematical Association of America.Summary: Sophus Lie was arrested in 1870 because of his mathematics notebook. In his notes, Lie used geometry to solve differential equations by identifying transformations that leave solutions unchanged. These transformations suggested a change of variable that made the differential equations easier to solve. Lie groups were born in those notes. This article reveals Lie’s unlawful methods that could lead to a life of crime.