--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: he presented me with a mathematical…" description: "\"“he presented me with a mathematical conundrum,” he said. “It’s a famous one, the P = NP problem. Basically, it asks whether it’s more difficult to thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/keigo-higashino-33323_conundrum_he-presented-me-with-a-mathematical-conu_422498.jpg" --- # he presented me with a mathematical conundrum,” he said… ![“he presented me with a mathematical conundrum,” he said. “It’s a famous one, the P = NP problem. Basically, it asks whether it’s more difficult to think of the solution to a problem yourself or to ascertain if someone else’s answer to the same problem is correct.” quote by Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/keigo-higashino-33323_conundrum_he-presented-me-with-a-mathematical-conu_422498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/keigo-higashino-33323_conundrum_he-presented-me-with-a-mathematical-conu_422498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/keigo-higashino-33323_conundrum_he-presented-me-with-a-mathematical-conu_422498.jpg) > ““he presented me with a mathematical conundrum,” he said. “It’s a famous one, the P = NP problem. Basically, it asks whether it’s more difficult to think of the solution to a problem yourself or to ascertain if someone else’s answer to the same problem is correct.”” [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the P vs NP problem, questioning whether solving a problem is harder than verifying a given solution. **In simple terms:** It asks if finding answers is tougher than checking them. Key Takeaway Consider both creation and verification in problem solving. Themes computer science complexity philosophy Mood curious analytical Type theoretical educational When to use this quote - research - education - software development - cryptography Key Concepts P vs NP algorithmic difficulty Questions to Reflect On - What tasks rely more on verification than invention? - How does this affect real‑world problem solving? A Different Perspective Verification may be easy, but finding solutions can be intractable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conundrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conundrum/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Solution to a problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solution-to-a-problem/) ## Related quotes > [“The real conundrum”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/the-real-conundrum/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > ['Quantum Conundrum' has a little bit of something for everybody - it's got something for kids and it's got enough of a challenge for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-swift/quantum-conundrum-has-a-little-bit-of-something-for-everybody-it-s/) [Kim Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-swift/) > [That's one thing about Dave Filoni. He doesn't call me up unless there's something to think about or there's something that we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-witwer/that-s-one-thing-about-dave-filoni-he-doesn-t-call-me-up-unless-there/) [Samuel Witwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-witwer/) > [“Never presume to know a person based on the one dimensional window of the internet. A soul can’t be defined by critics, enemies or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/never-presume-to-know-a-person-based-on-the-one-dimensional-window-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > ['Quantum Conundrum' is a direct reflection, not just of me, but of our entire team. It has a little bit of all of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-swift/quantum-conundrum-is-a-direct-reflection-not-just-of-me-but-of-our/) [Kim Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-swift/) > [“Joy must be chosen, but the deeper conundrum is that it can't be controlled or cajoled as to when it will come or how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-b-allender/joy-must-be-chosen-but-the-deeper-conundrum-is-that-it-can-t-be/) [Dan B. Allender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-b-allender/) > [“Conundrum:  A fun word to repeat over and over again when no one's listening. Actual meaning is as puzzling as the need to chant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/conundrum-a-fun-word-to-repeat-over-and-over-again-when-no-one-s/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [I will always face the conundrum that the subjects I'm attracted to aren't essentially commercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/i-will-always-face-the-conundrum-that-the-subjects-i-m-attracted-to/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [“Happiness, if you think about it, is the biggest conundrum we face. The pursuit of it is why we do basically everything that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wiest/happiness-if-you-think-about-it-is-the-biggest-conundrum-we-face-the/) [Brianna Wiest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wiest/) > [“I am not perfect, but if I looked perfect to everyone I must have been rocking imperfect perfectly to a few imperfect souls that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-am-not-perfect-but-if-i-looked-perfect-to-everyone-i-must-have-been/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Leaving this conundrum”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-louisa-locke/leaving-this-conundrum/) [M. Louisa Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-louisa-locke/) > [The conundrum of free will and destiny has always kept me dangling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/the-conundrum-of-free-will-and-destiny-has-always-kept-me-dangling/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I'm a conundrum. Or an enigma. I forget which.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-owen/i-m-a-conundrum-or-an-enigma-i-forget-which/) [James A. Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-owen/) > [I think it's a conundrum. If we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further, does it have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-think-it-s-a-conundrum-if-we-have-no-laws-on-this-people-take-it-to/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [“He's a conundrum- and there's still a piece missing from the puzzle." Whatever that piece was, there was a part of me telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/he-s-a-conundrum-and-there-s-still-a-piece-missing-from-the-puzzle/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) ## More by Keigo Higashino > [“A veces, una persona puede salvar a otra por el hecho mero de existir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/a-veces-una-persona-puede-salvar-a-otra-por-el-hecho-mero-de-existir/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“Murder cases are like cancer cells. Once they get their hooks into you, the pain and misery just keep on spreading. Whether the killer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/murder-cases-are-like-cancer-cells-once-they-get-their-hooks-into-you/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [Sometimes, all you had to do was exist in order to be someone's saviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/sometimes-all-you-had-to-do-was-exist-in-order-to-be-someone-s-saviour/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“Kusanagi had met plenty of good, admirable people who’d been turned into murderers by circumstance. There was something about them he always seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/kusanagi-had-met-plenty-of-good-admirable-people-who-d-been-turned/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“It’s more difficult to create the problem than to solve it. All the person trying to solve the problem has to do is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/it-s-more-difficult-to-create-the-problem-than-to-solve-it-all-the/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“A feeling rose inside him, making him queasy, as though an elaborate formula he’d thought was perfect was now giving false results because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/a-feeling-rose-inside-him-making-him-queasy-as-though-an-elaborate/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“Watching people is a bit of a hobby of mine. It's quite fascinating, really.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/watching-people-is-a-bit-of-a-hobby-of-mine-it-s-quite-fascinating/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“A person's sadness didn't always take a form that others could see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/a-person-s-sadness-didn-t-always-take-a-form-that-others-could-see/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [Okay - the world needs its cogs, all of them; and even a cog may say how it gets used. In fact, only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/okay-the-world-needs-its-cogs-all-of-them-and-even-a-cog-may-say-how/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“He held no aspirations of ever being anything to them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/he-held-no-aspirations-of-ever-being-anything-to-them/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) > [“When you wander in the dark too long, you start to see things that aren’t really there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keigo-higashino/when-you-wander-in-the-dark-too-long-you-start-to-see-things-that/) [Keigo Higashino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) [Explore all 12 Keigo Higashino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keigo-higashino/) ## More Conundrum quotes > [“The real conundrum”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/the-real-conundrum/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > [I think it's a conundrum. If we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further, does it have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-think-it-s-a-conundrum-if-we-have-no-laws-on-this-people-take-it-to/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I'm a conundrum. Or an enigma. I forget which.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-owen/i-m-a-conundrum-or-an-enigma-i-forget-which/) [James A. Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-owen/) > [The conundrum of free will and destiny has always kept me dangling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/the-conundrum-of-free-will-and-destiny-has-always-kept-me-dangling/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [“Leaving this conundrum”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-louisa-locke/leaving-this-conundrum/) [M. Louisa Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-louisa-locke/) > [“I am not perfect, but if I looked perfect to everyone I must have been rocking imperfect perfectly to a few imperfect souls that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-am-not-perfect-but-if-i-looked-perfect-to-everyone-i-must-have-been/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Happiness, if you think about it, is the biggest conundrum we face. The pursuit of it is why we do basically everything that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wiest/happiness-if-you-think-about-it-is-the-biggest-conundrum-we-face-the/) [Brianna Wiest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wiest/) > [I will always face the conundrum that the subjects I'm attracted to aren't essentially commercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/i-will-always-face-the-conundrum-that-the-subjects-i-m-attracted-to/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [“Conundrum:  A fun word to repeat over and over again when no one's listening. Actual meaning is as puzzling as the need to chant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/conundrum-a-fun-word-to-repeat-over-and-over-again-when-no-one-s/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Joy must be chosen, but the deeper conundrum is that it can't be controlled or cajoled as to when it will come or how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-b-allender/joy-must-be-chosen-but-the-deeper-conundrum-is-that-it-can-t-be/) [Dan B. Allender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-b-allender/) > ['Quantum Conundrum' is a direct reflection, not just of me, but of our entire team. It has a little bit of all of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-swift/quantum-conundrum-is-a-direct-reflection-not-just-of-me-but-of-our/) [Kim Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-swift/) > [“Never presume to know a person based on the one dimensional window of the internet. A soul can’t be defined by critics, enemies or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/never-presume-to-know-a-person-based-on-the-one-dimensional-window-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [That's one thing about Dave Filoni. He doesn't call me up unless there's something to think about or there's something that we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-witwer/that-s-one-thing-about-dave-filoni-he-doesn-t-call-me-up-unless-there/) [Samuel Witwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-witwer/) > ['Quantum Conundrum' has a little bit of something for everybody - it's got something for kids and it's got enough of a challenge for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-swift/quantum-conundrum-has-a-little-bit-of-something-for-everybody-it-s/) [Kim Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-swift/) > [“He's a conundrum- and there's still a piece missing from the puzzle." Whatever that piece was, there was a part of me telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/he-s-a-conundrum-and-there-s-still-a-piece-missing-from-the-puzzle/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) [Browse all 20 Conundrum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conundrum/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“he presented me with a mathematical conundrum,” he said. “It’s a famous one, the P = NP problem. 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