May 13, 1993
Release Date

7.5

N is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdős (1993)

Name: N is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdős
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1993-05-13

57m

Running Time

May 13, 1993
Release Date

External Links & Social Media

Plot.

In an age when genius is a mere commodity, it is useful to look at a person who led a rich life without the traditional trappings of success. A man with no home and no job, Paul Erdös was the most prolific mathematician who ever lived. Born in Hungary in 1913, Erdös wrote and co-authored over 1,500 papers and pioneered several fields in theoretical mathematics. At the age of 83 he still spent most of his time on the road, going from math meeting to math meeting, continually working on problems. He died on September 20, 1996 while attending such a meeting in Warsaw, Poland.

Where to Watch.

Free

Currently N is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdős is available for streaming online, rent, buy or watch for free on: Kanopy

Streaming in:
🇺🇸 United States

Cast & Crew.

Paul Erdös

Himself

George Paul Csicsery

Director

John Knoop

Director of Photography

Mark Adler

Original Music Composer

Media.

Details.

Release Date
May 13, 1993

Status
Released

Running Time
57m

Filming Locations
University of Pennsylvania, United States · Budapest, Hungary · Trinity College, United Kingdom · Poznań, Poland

Genres
Documentary

Last updated: 2025-02-11

This Movie Is About.

biography

mathematics

Wiki.

N Is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdős is a 1993 biographical documentary about the life of mathematician Paul Erdős, directed by George Paul Csicsery.

The film was made between 1988 and 1991, capturing Erdős in various countries along with some of his numerous collaborators. It covers his unusual career, his personal life, and many of his recurring jokes and anecdotes, including that of Erdős numbers.

The film won the Gold Apple Award (National Educational Film & Video Festival), and the Gold Plaque Award (Science/Nature, Documentary category, Chicago International Film Festival).