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List of unsolved problems in mathematics

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Many mathematical problems have been stated but not yet solved. These problems come from many areas of mathematics, such as theoretical physics, computer science, algebra, analysis, combinatorics, algebraic, differential, discrete and Euclidean geometries, graph theory, group theory, model theory, number theory, set theory, Ramsey theory, dynamical systems, and partial differential equations. Some problems belong to more than one discipline and are studied using techniques from different areas. Prizes are often awarded for the solution to a long-standing problem, and some lists of unsolved problems, such as the Millennium Prize Problems, receive considerable attention.

This list is a composite of notable unsolved problems mentioned in previously published lists, including but not limited to lists considered authoritative, and the problems listed here vary widely in both difficulty and importance.

Lists of unsolved problems in mathematics

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Various mathematicians and organizations have published and promoted lists of unsolved mathematical problems. In some cases, the lists have been associated with prizes for the discoverers of solutions.

List Number of
problems
Number unsolved
or incompletely solved
Proposed by Proposed
in
Hilbert's problems<ref>Template:Citation</ref> 23 15 David Hilbert 1900
Landau's problems<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> 4 4 Edmund Landau 1912
Taniyama's problems<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> 36 Yutaka Taniyama 1955
Thurston's 24 questions<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> 24 2 William Thurston 1982
Smale's problems 18 14 Stephen Smale 1998
Millennium Prize Problems 7 6<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref> Clay Mathematics Institute 2000
Simon problems 15 < 12<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="guardian">Template:Cite web</ref> Barry Simon 2000
Unsolved Problems on Mathematics for the 21st Century<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 22 Jair Minoro Abe, Shotaro Tanaka 2001
DARPA's math challenges<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 23 DARPA 2007
Erdős's problems<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> > 934 617 Paul Erdős Over six decades of Erdős' career, from the 1930s to 1990s
File:Riemann-Zeta-Func.png
The Riemann zeta function, subject of the Riemann hypothesis<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Millennium Prize Problems

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Of the original seven Millennium Prize Problems listed by the Clay Mathematics Institute in 2000, six remain unsolved to date:<ref name="auto1"/>

The seventh problem, the Poincaré conjecture, was solved by Grigori Perelman in 2003.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, a generalization called the smooth four-dimensional Poincaré conjecture—that is, whether a four-dimensional topological sphere can have two or more inequivalent smooth structures—is unsolved.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notebooks

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Unsolved problems

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Algebra

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File:Regular tetrahedron inscribed in a sphere.svg
In the Bloch sphere representation of a qubit, a SIC-POVM forms a regular tetrahedron. Zauner conjectured that analogous structures exist in complex Hilbert spaces of all finite dimensions.

Group theory

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File:FreeBurnsideGroupExp3Gens2.png
The free Burnside group <math>B(2,3)</math> is finite; in its Cayley graph, shown here, each of its 27 elements is represented by a vertex. The question of which other groups <math>B(m,n)</math> are finite remains open.

Representation theory

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Analysis

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Combinatorics

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Dynamical systems

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File:Mandel zoom 07 satellite.jpg
A detail of the Mandelbrot set. It is not known whether the Mandelbrot set is locally connected or not.

Games and puzzles

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Combinatorial games

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Games with imperfect information

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Geometry

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Algebraic geometry

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Covering and packing

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Differential geometry

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Discrete geometry

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File:Kissing-3d.png
In three dimensions, the kissing number is 12, because 12 non-overlapping unit spheres can be put into contact with a central unit sphere. (Here, the centers of outer spheres form the vertices of a regular icosahedron.) Kissing numbers are only known exactly in dimensions 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 24.

Euclidean geometry

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Graph theory

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Algebraic graph theory

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Games on graphs

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Graph coloring and labeling

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File:Erdős–Faber–Lovász conjecture.svg
An instance of the Erdős–Faber–Lovász conjecture: a graph formed from four cliques of four vertices each, any two of which intersect in a single vertex, can be four-colored.

Graph drawing and embedding

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Restriction of graph parameters

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Subgraphs

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Word-representation of graphs

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Miscellaneous graph theory

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Model theory and formal languages

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  • Assume K is the class of models of a countable first order theory omitting countably many types. If K has a model of cardinality <math>\aleph_{\omega_1}</math> does it have a model of cardinality continuum?<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
  • Do the Henson graphs have the finite model property?
  • Does a finitely presented homogeneous structure for a finite relational language have finitely many reducts?
  • Does there exist an o-minimal first order theory with a trans-exponential (rapid growth) function?
  • If the class of atomic models of a complete first order theory is categorical in the <math>\aleph_n</math>, is it categorical in every cardinal?<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite arXiv</ref>
  • Is every infinite, minimal field of characteristic zero algebraically closed? (Here, "minimal" means that every definable subset of the structure is finite or co-finite.)
  • Is the Borel monadic theory of the real order (BMTO) decidable? Is the monadic theory of well-ordering (MTWO) consistently decidable?<ref>Gurevich, Yuri, "Monadic Second-Order Theories," in J. Barwise, S. Feferman, eds., Model-Theoretic Logics (New York: Springer-Verlag, 1985), 479–506.</ref>
  • Is the theory of the field of Laurent series over <math>\mathbb{Z}_p</math> decidable? of the field of polynomials over <math>\mathbb{C}</math>?
  • Is there a logic L which satisfies both the Beth property and Δ-interpolation, is compact but does not satisfy the interpolation property?<ref>Makowsky J, "Compactness, embeddings and definability," in Model-Theoretic Logics, eds Barwise and Feferman, Springer 1985 pps. 645–715.</ref>

Probability theory

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Number theory

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General

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File:Perfect number Cuisenaire rods 6 exact.svg
6 is a perfect number because it is the sum of its proper positive divisors, 1, 2 and 3. It is not known how many perfect numbers there are, nor if any of them is odd.

Additive number theory

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Algebraic number theory

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  • Characterize all algebraic number fields that have some power basis.

Computational number theory

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Diophantine approximation and transcendental number theory

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File:Gamma-area.svg
The area of the blue region converges to the Euler–Mascheroni constant, which may or may not be a rational number.

Diophantine equations

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Prime numbers

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File:Goldbach partitions of the even integers from 4 to 50 rev4b.svg
Goldbach's conjecture states that all even integers greater than 2 can be written as the sum of two primes. Here this is illustrated for the even integers from 4 to 28.

Set theory

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Note: These conjectures are about models of Zermelo-Frankel set theory with choice, and may not be able to be expressed in models of other set theories such as the various constructive set theories or non-wellfounded set theory.

Topology

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File:Ochiai unknot.svg
The unknotting problem asks whether there is an efficient algorithm to identify when the shape presented in a knot diagram is actually the unknot.

Problems solved since 1995

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File:Ricci flow.png
Ricci flow, here illustrated with a 2D manifold, was the key tool in Grigori Perelman's solution of the Poincaré conjecture.

Algebra

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Analysis

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Combinatorics

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Dynamical systems

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Game theory

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Geometry

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21st century

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20th century

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Graph theory

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</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal </ref><ref>Template:Cite journal </ref><ref>Template:Cite journal </ref>

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Group theory

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Number theory

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21st century

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20th century

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Ramsey theory

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Theoretical computer science

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Topology

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Uncategorised

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2010s

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2000s

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See also

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Notes

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References

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Further reading

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Books discussing problems solved since 1995

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Books discussing unsolved problems

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