Unveiling the Fascinating Story of Thomas Fuller, the African Math Genius!
Discover the Incredible Mind Who Made Significant Contributions to Mathematics Despite Adversities.
The Virginia Calculator: (1710–1790)
Meet Thomas Fuller, a young African boy who was sold into slavery at the tender age of 14 in 1724. Despite his unfortunate circumstances, he possessed an extraordinary gift — an exceptional ability to solve complex mathematical problems in his head.
This talent earned him the nickname “Virginia Calculator.” Imagine performing complex mathematical equations without a calculator or pen and paper! Thomas’s story is truly inspiring and a testament to the power of the human mind.
He was asked how many seconds there were in a year and a half, and he answered in about two minutes, 47,304,000.
Again, he was asked how many seconds a man who is 70 years, 17 days, and 12 hours old has lived; he answered in a minute and a half, 2,210,500,800.
One of the men was working out the problems on paper and informed Fuller that he was wrong because the answer was much smaller.
Fuller quickly replied, with a witty comeback,
“Top, massa, you forget de leap year.”
And to everyone’s…
