The idea of an amateur mathematician has evolved over time. Today, it mainly refers to people who pursue mathematics for pleasure outside their professional lives. Their interests often involve numbers or geometry, sometimes approached through games. Here, then, are four French enthusiasts who can be described as amateur mathematicians.
Christian Boyer, taxicab numbers and magic squares
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A graduate of the École nationale supérieure d’arts et métiers and the École supérieure d’électricité (Supélec), Christian Boyer began his career as technical director of Microsoft France in the days of Windows 1.0. He then founded a software company before becoming an investor in various businesses.
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