Photo: "copyright C. J. Mozzochi, Princeton N.J" / Attribution (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
What moves me about Wiles isn't the trophy case, impressive as it is. It's the singular obsession. He fell in love with Fermat's Last Theorem as a child and spent years working in near-total secrecy to crack a problem that had defied the world's best minds for over three centuries. In an age that rewards quick wins and constant visibility, his willingness to disappear into one impossibly hard question feels almost radical. I find his story less a math anecdote than a quiet argument for patience, depth, and the rare courage to bet a life on a single dream.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Andrew Wiles
- Name (Japanese)
- アンドリュー・ワイルズ
- Reading
- あんどりゅー・わいるず
- Born
- April 11, 1953 (age 73)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Snake
- Origin
- Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- mathematician / university teacher
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Clare College
Awards & achievements
- 1988 Whitehead Prize
- 1989 Fellow of the Royal Society
- 1995 Fermat Prize
- 1995 Rolf Schock Prize in Mathematics
- 1996 Ostrowski Prize
- 1996 Royal Medal
- Wolf Prize in Mathematics
- 1997 MacArthur Fellows Program
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Modular Elliptic Curves and Fermat's Last Theorem | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Andrew Wiles born?
Born April 11, 1953 (age 73).
Where is Andrew Wiles from?
Andrew Wiles is from Cambridge, United Kingdom.
What does Andrew Wiles do?
Andrew Wiles works as mathematician, university teacher.
What is Andrew Wiles known for?
Notable works include Modular Elliptic Curves and Fermat's Last Theorem.
Mathematician — see all → · University teacher — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.