New Orleans teenagers found a new proof of the Pythagorean Theorem (keith-mcnulty.medium.com)

Article summary

Two New Orleans teenagers, who are female and African-American, have found a new proof of the Pythagorean Theorem. The article highlights their achievement as an inspirational story, suggesting that it shows excellence in math is attainable regardless of background. However, some commenters note that the girls attend a private school, which may undermine the narrative of overcoming adversity. The proof itself is not described in detail in the available comments.

Main themes

• mathematics and education
• socio-economic factors and privilege
• inspiration and role models
• media representation and clickbait
• academic achievement and meritocracy

What commenters say

• The title of the article was changed by HN's algorithm, which removes clickbait phrases like 'Here's How'.
• The original title was more descriptive, but also potentially misleading as it promised to explain how the proof was found.
• The girls' achievement is inspirational, but the fact that they attend a private school complicates the narrative of overcoming socio-economic barriers.
• Mentioning the girls' socio-demographic background is important to understand the context of their achievement, but others argue it is not necessary to specify all the potential barriers they may have faced.
• Some commenters believe that privilege, such as attending a private school, should be acknowledged when discussing achievements, while others think it is not relevant.
• The article's focus on the girls' background and the inspirational quality of their achievement is seen as potentially problematic by some, who argue that it oversimplifies the relationship between socio-economic factors and academic success.
• Others argue that the article's message about excellence being attainable regardless of background is still valid and important, even if the girls' specific circumstances are more complex than initially presented.