A mathematician is a machine that converts coffee into mathematical theorems. --P. Erdos Erdos (1913-1996) is one of the greatest contemporary mathematicians. He published 1,475 mathematical papers with 485 collaborators during his lifetime, covering many fields of mathematics. The following stories are mainly from his biography "Digital Love", of course there are also some stories collected from elsewhere. The passage quoted earlier hints at the dependence on stimulants for Erdos, who worked more than 19 hours a day (still doing so in his seventies). In 1979, his friend Graham made a bet with Erdos that if he didn't take amphetamines for a month, Graham would lose him $500. Erdos successfully won the bet, but he said to Graham: "You helped me prove that I am not an addict, but during this time I achieved nothing. I woke up in the morning and stared at a blank piece of paper." , no idea, no different from ordinary people. You delayed the development of mathematics for a month. "So he then started taking stimulants again. --2-- SF We were created to take pleasure in our pain, and the sooner we die, the sooner His plans will fail. --Erdos Erdos has a language of his own. For example, he calls God "SF" (Supreme Fascist, the biggest fascist) because he always tortures Erdos, hides his glasses, steals his Hungarian passport, and even controls the answers to various weird math problems Don't let him find out. Erdos did not fear God. The only meaning of death to Erdos was that he could no longer conduct mathematical research, so he often said: "There is plenty of time to rest in the grave." The way Erdos engaged in mathematical research was unique. He always traveled to universities and research institutes around the world, visiting mathematicians there and announcing to them: "My mind is open." Then they began to discuss mathematical problems for several days, until both sides were tired of it. until. He never stayed in one city for a month continuously. His motto was: "Another roof, another proof. (Another roof, another proof.)" - 3 - When did the misfortune of birth befall you? On? --Erdos Common Greetings In addition to SF, Erdos has many unique terms. He calls children ε, grandchildren ε^2, bad bridge players o(x), women "master", men "slave", marriage "captive", and divorce " Free", music as "noise", alcohol as "poison", giving a mathematics lecture as "sermon", non-mathematicians as "nobody", the United States as "Sam", the Soviet Union as "Joe".