Korean Mathematician Solves 60-Year-Old Geometry Puzzle: The Moving Sofa Problem
By
mikhael
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Summary
Korean mathematician Baek Jin-eon has solved the 'moving sofa problem,' a geometry puzzle that had remained unsolved for nearly 60 years. His breakthrough has been recognized by Scientific American as one of the top 10 mathematical breakthroughs of 2025. The problem asks what is the largest rigid shape that can be maneuvered around a right-angled corner in a hallway. Baek, a 31-year-old research fellow at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study, has received international recognition for this achievement.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledA Korean mathematician has won international recognition for solving a geometry puzzle that had resisted proof for nearly six decades.
US magazine Scientific American named the research by Baek Jin-eon among its top 10 mathematical breakthroughs of 2025.
Baek, 31, is a research fellow at the June E Huh Center for Mathematical Challenges at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study.
The so-called moving sofa problem asks how large a rigid shape can be while still being able to pass around a right-angled corner.
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