The Breakfast Club - IDKMYDE: 2000 Year Old Math Problem

Episode Date: February 16, 2025

On todays episode of IDKMYDE you’ll learn about 2 high schoolers from New Orleans, Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson, took a 2,000-year-old math problem, gave it a makeover with trigonometry, and left the math world wondering, “Why didn’t we think of that?” They’re rewriting the rules—and proving Black girls can do more than just stan for Sza.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why would you do that to me? Los Angeles, 2021. A friendly neighbor appears out of nowhere and promises to make all my dreams come true. Let's not forget that David Blum was a professional con artist, so you didn't stand a chance. But my dreams soon turned into a nightmare. I'm Caroline DeMore. Listen as I take down my scammer on Once Upon a Con on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I

Started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th? It actually rotated around our house looking as if it was peering in each window of our home. I'm Gabe Lenners from Imagine, iHeart Podcasts and Lenners Entertainment. Listen to Obscura, Invasion of the Drones, wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Y'all what up? It's your girl Jess Hilarious and I think it's time to acknowledge that I'm not just a comedian. It's time to add uncertified therapists to my credentials. Because each and every Wednesday I'm fixing your mess on Carefully Reckless on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Got problems in your relationship? Come to me. Your best friend acting shady? Come to me. Thought you was the father but you not? Come to me. I can't

promise I won't judge you, but I can guarantee that I will help you. Listen to Carefully Reckless on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. ["Caring for the World"] When I smoke weed, I get lost in the music. I like to isolate each instrument.

The rhythmic bass, the harmonies on the piano, the sticky melody. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,

hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey episode of I Didn't Know, Maybe You Didn't Either, let's talk about some real BGM. Black Girl Magic. Two high schoolers, yes, high schoolers, just casually strolled into a math class and solved

a math problem that's been chilling unsolved for 2,000 years. They're just like, yeah, we got this. Meet Kelsia Johnson and Nakia Jackson from New Orleans. These two were seniors at St. Mary's Academy back in 2022. Now while most of us were out here just trying to survive senior year, avoid senioritis, and go to senior skip day without getting in trouble, these two were out here solving the Pythagorean Theorem with trigonometry. Now I know you probably can't spell Pythagorean Theorem let alone remember what it was, but it's the rule about triangles. A squared plus B squared

equals C squared. You know, basically saying if you got a right angle triangle, the two short sides add up to the long side. Simple, right? Well, we learned that in geometry. Turns out proving it in trigonometry was considered impossible. Like, yes, we can land on the moon. And yes, if I'm talking to my wife about dish detergent as soon as I open up my social media dish detergent ads will be in my algorithm but this solving the Pythagorean theorem using trigonometry nah that's too difficult but Kalsia and Nakia were like hold our calculators they use something called the law of sines not like stop and yield but sine and cosine you remember that now I'm

not gonna bore you with math because I put myself to sleep so let me break it down to you like I'm breaking it down to a five-year-old or somebody who got the brain capacity of Cole and Martin imagine you got a Lego triangle the Pythagorean theorem is like saying if I count the Legos on this side and this side they'll match the Legos on the long side. Easy! But to prove it with trigonometry is like building the whole triangle with no instructions and still having it turn out perfect. Meanwhile I'm still trying to put my daughter's desk together for Christmas. I got four screws left over and I think I

put the LED lights on backwards. Dig this! These two teenagers presented their work at a professional math conference. These are grown adults with PhDs and Kelsia and Nakia just walked in like what's up, here's something y'all couldn't do in 2000 years and yeah we 17. Now fast forward to 2025, these girls are still killing it. They're in STEM programs now publishing math papers. I mean what were you doing at 17, 18 years old? Personally, I was a felon, just trying to graduate high school on a journey to be the best carhop sonic has ever seen.

But let's talk about how big this is for black culture. Historically, people haven't given black folks their flowers when it comes to science and innovation. These girls kicked that door open and said, we belong here. In the words of Aaliyah, age ain't nothing but a number. They showing everyone that black kids don't just play ball or rap, we can change the freaking world. So shout out to Kalsia and Nakia.

They proved that math is for us too. And they didn't just solve an equation, they reminded all of us what's possible when we dream big. So if you got kids, tell them to pick up a calculator, you never know, your little one could be out here solving 3000 year old problems next. And I didn't know. Maybe you didn't either.

Why would you do that to me? Los Angeles, 2021. A friendly neighbor appears out of nowhere and promises to make all my dreams come true. Let's not forget that David Blum was a professional con artist, so you didn't stand a chance. But my dreams soon turned into a nightmare.

I'm Caroline DeMore. Listen as I take down my scammer on Once Upon a Con on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th? It actually rotated around our house,

looking as if it was peering in each window of our home. I'm Gabe Lenners from Imagine, I Heart Podcasts and Liners Entertainment. Listen to Obscura, Invasion of the Drones, wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Yo, what up? It's your girl Jess Hilarious and I think it's time to acknowledge that I'm not just a comedian. It's time to add uncertified therapists to my credentials because each and every Wednesday I'm fixing your mess on carefully reckless

on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Got problems in your relationship? Come to me, your best friend acting shady. Come to me, thought you was the father, but you're not? Come to me. I can't promise I won't judge you, but I can guarantee that I will help you. Listen to carefully reckless

on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Calling all Yellowstone fans. Let's go to work. Let's go. Join Bobby Bones on the official Yellowstone podcast for exclusive cast interviews,

behind the scenes insights, and a deep dive into the themes that have made Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon. Our family legacy is this ranch. And I protect it with my life. Listen to the official Yellowstone podcast now on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.