UPDATE:
According to one of our brainiac readers, PeteInVA, this shirt is actually a visual representation of the four color theorem. According to Wikipedia:
In mathematics, the four color theorem, or the four color map theorem, states that, given any separation of a plane into contiguous regions, producing a figure called a map, no more than four colors are required to color the regions of the map so that no two adjacent regions have the same color. Adjacent means that two regions share a common boundary curve segment, not merely a corner where three or more regions meet.
Incidentally, this shirt made its debut in 2017, the 40th anniversary from when the theorem was proved. Click here to read more.
Featured on The Big Bang Theory episodes
S11 E05: "The Collaboration Contamination"
S11 E12: "The Matrimonial Metric"
Season 11, Episode 17: "The Athenaeum Allocation"
Season 12, Episode 07: "The Grant Allocation Derivation"
S11 E12: "The Matrimonial Metric"
Season 11, Episode 17: "The Athenaeum Allocation"
Season 12, Episode 07: "The Grant Allocation Derivation"
https://steemit.com/steemstem/@anevolvedmonkey/the-four-colour-map-theorem
ReplyDeleteSee above link (scroll half way down the article). This episode of TBBT was taped following the 40th anniversary of the proof of the Four Color Theorem, one of the most famous proofs in mathematics. The image on Sheldon's shirt is a graphical representation of the statement of the problem.
Peter
Hey, Peter, thanks for the information! Sorry about the late reply (I never saw a notification, dangit) but I've just now updated the page here thanks to your help.
DeleteThanks again!
I cannot find any supporting info for the claim that the image on Sheldon's shirt represents the theorem. Is there any?
ReplyDeleteAll I've got is what's on the page, AW. I suppose it's possible that the shirt doesn't represent the theorem, however. But the combination of the photos shown above, the show's science advisors always throwing in easter eggs, and of 2017 being the 40th anniversary of the theorem (which was apparently was a big deal in Illinois, where it was proven, as they celebrated a "Four Color Fest" in celebration that year), I felt convinced enough to add the information submitted by a reader. If it's untrue, I'll happily amend what's written here.
DeleteSorry I don't have more information than that, though! And thanks for your comment.