SMRTR Science & EngineeringMay 22, 2025Quanta Magazine

Graduate Student Solves Classic Problem About the Limits of Addition

SMRTR summary

Benjamin Bedert, an Oxford graduate student, solved a 60-year-old math problem by Paul Erdős regarding sum-free sets. Erdős questioned the prevalence of sum-free sets within integer sets. Bedert proved that any integer set contains a large sum-free subset. His solution extends previous work and employs Fourier analysis techniques. This breakthrough illuminates the nature of addition and may impact understanding patterns in other mathematical contexts.

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