Chinese migrant worker solves complex math problem

'Is this migrant worker a real life 'Good Will Hunting?'

Who said innovation and intelligence depend on a college degree?

Defying conventional beliefs, a Chinese migrant worker with no formal education has found a solution to a complex math problem, in what appears to be a real life version of the Oscar-winning movie ‘Good Will Hunting.’



“I have always had a passion for numbers,” Yu Jianchun, who works for a parcel delivery company, said. Yu has created an alternative method to verify Carmichael numbers.

Carmichael numbers are sometimes described as ‘pseudo primes’ -- they complicate the task of determining true prime numbers, which are divisible only by 1 and itself, which play an important role in computer science and information security.

Yu's solution amazed academics, who acknowledged his proof was ‘much more efficient than the traditional one’. "It was a very imaginative solution," said Cai Tianxin, a math professor at Zhejiang University. "He has never received any systematic training in number theory nor taken advanced math classes. All he has is an instinct and an extreme sensitivity to numbers."

A picture of Yu's solution. He has created an alternative method to verify Carmichael numbers. PHOTO: CAI TIANXIN

When asked about how he felt with the response,"I was overwhelmed with joy, because my solution was completely different to the classic algorithm," Yu said. He only studies numbers in his free time and never considered full-time professional study. He attributed his talent to diligence and solitude.



He is also modest."I'm slow-witted," Yu said. "I need to spend far more time studying math problems than others. Although I am sensitive to numbers, I barely have any knowledge about calculus or geometry."

Yu presented his proof, along with solutions to four other problems, to the public on June 13 at a graduate student seminar on the invitation of Cai.

The Chinese migrant had never heard of the movie "Good Will Hunting," but said he was curious to see it. The 1997 drama, which features Matt Damon and Robin Williams, tells the fictional story of a maths genius who works as a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Screengrab: Good Will Hunting.

This article originally appeared on CNN.