# Harvard, google, and math

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harvard-google-and-math/266517>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 28, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harvard-google-and-math/266517 "2004-09-28T17:20:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harvard-google-and-math/266517/1 "2004-09-28T17:20:53Z")

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I just heard a story that Google hung a banner with a mathematics equation at Harvard. Solving the equation allegedly led to a website with an application for employment. Is this true or urban legend? If true, where can I, just out of curiosity, view the equation.

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**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harvard-google-and-math/266517/2 "2004-09-28T17:27:01Z")

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The story seems to be true.

Try [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3916173](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3916173).

Or, if that doesn’t suit your fancy, [try searching on Google itself](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=google+harvard+banner) for more links.

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**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harvard-google-and-math/266517/3 "2004-09-28T17:36:36Z")

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It wasn’t at Harvard itself. It was at the Harvard Square subway station.

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**Author:** ![Eurograff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Eurograff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eurograff)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harvard-google-and-math/266517/4 "2004-09-28T17:42:46Z")

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Yep, the puzzle was apparently used as an advertisement around Harvard, Slashdot has [article about it](http://developers.slashdot.org/developers/04/09/16/139232.shtml?tid=217&tid=8). They already did the same in California back in July or so. Since the puzzle is few months old, there are [thorough answers](http://www.mkaz.com/math/google/) for the lazier of us. (spoiler warning for the later link, obviously)

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**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harvard-google-and-math/266517/5 "2004-09-28T18:58:28Z")

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Thanks. I googled “Harvard, google, equation” and did not turn up any good hits, at least in the first few pages.