George Pólya
Hungarian-American mathematician known for problem-solving heuristics.
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George Pólya was a Hungarian-American mathematician known for major work in combinatorics, number theory, numerical analysis, and probability, as well as for his influence on heuristics and math education. He taught at ETH Zürich from 1914 to 1940 and at Stanford University from 1940 to 1953. He is sometimes grouped with other Hungarian-American scientists called The Martians, a circle that included his former student John von Neumann.
Born in Budapest to Jewish parents who converted to Christianity, Pólya was baptized Catholic but later became agnostic. He earned his PhD under Lipót Fejér in 1912. After his professorship at ETH Zürich, he moved to Stanford, where he remained professor emeritus, working on series, number theory, analysis, geometry, algebra, combinatorics, and probability. He spoke at International Congresses of Mathematicians in 1928, 1936, and 1950. Even after retiring in 1953, he continued lecturing and publishing into his nineties. He died in 1985 in Palo Alto, California, from complications of a stroke, survived by his wife Stella after 67 years of marriage.
Early in his career, Pólya co-wrote two influential problem books with Gábor Szegő. Later, he focused on systematic problem-solving methods, writing five books: *How to Solve It*, *Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning* (two volumes), and *Mathematical Discovery* (two volumes). *How to Solve It* offers general heuristics for mathematical and non-mathematical problems, includes teaching advice and a mini-encyclopedia of terms, has sold over a million copies, and inspired the AI programs Automated Mathematician and Eurisko. He also authored *Mathematical Methods in Science*, based on a course he taught at Stanford, edited from tape recordings by Leon Bowden.
Three prizes bear Pólya’s name. The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics established the George Pólya Prize in 1969, awarded alternately for combinatorial theory and another area of his interest. The Mathematical Association of America created the George Pólya Award in 1976 for expository articles in the *College Mathematics Journal*. The London Mathematical Society founded the Pólya Prize in 1987 for mathematical creativity, exposition, or contributions in the UK. The MAA also established the George Pólya Lectureship in 1991, and Stanford has a Polya Hall named after him.
- born
- December 13, 1887, Budapest, Austria-Hungary
- died
- September 7, 1985, Palo Alto, California, USA
- field
- Mathematics
- nationality
- Hungarian-American
- known_for
- Contributions to combinatorics, number theory, numerical analysis, probability t
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Pólya was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary, to Anna Deutsch and Jakab Pólya, Hungarian Jews who had converted to Christianity in 1886. Although his parents were religious and he was baptized into the Catholic Church upon birth, George eventually grew up to be an agnostic. He received a PhD under Lipót Fejér in 1912, at Eötvös Loránd University. He was a professor of mathematics from 1914 to 1940 at ETH Zürich in Switzerland and from 1940 to 1953 at Stanford University. He remained a professor emeritus at Stanford for the rest of his career. He was invited to speak at the International Congress of Mathematicians at Bologna in 1928, at Oslo in 1936 and at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1950. He continued lecturing part-time and publishing books into his nineties, decades after his official retirement in 1953. On September 7, 1985, Pólya died at age 97 in Palo Alto, California, due to complications of a stroke he suffered during that summer. He was survived by his wife Stella, after 67 years of marriage.
Reader's Guide
Pólya's significance lies in his dual impact on pure mathematics and on the teaching of problem solving. He made fundamental contributions to combinatorics, number theory, numerical analysis, and probability theory. His work in heuristics, especially the book 'How to Solve It', has sold over a million copies and remains influential in mathematical education. The book provides general heuristics for solving a gamut of mathematical and non-mathematical problems, includes advice for teachers and a mini-encyclopedia of heuristic terms. It was translated into several languages. Douglas Lenat's Automated Mathematician and Eurisko artificial intelligence programs were inspired by Pólya's work. Three prizes are named after Pólya: the George Pólya Prize by SIAM (established 1969), the George Pólya Award by the MAA (established 1976), and the Pólya Prize by the LMS (established 1987). Stanford University has a Polya Hall named in his honor. His legacy endures through his books, his problem-solving methods, and the continued use of his work in education and artificial intelligence.
Did You Know?
- Pólya was one of The Martians, an informal category of Hungarian-American scientists that also included his former student John von Neumann.
- He wrote the influential problem-solving book 'How to Solve It', which has sold over a million copies and been translated into several languages.
- Pólya continued lecturing part-time and publishing books into his nineties, decades after his official retirement in 1953.
- Three different prizes are named after Pólya, established by SIAM (1969), MAA (1976), and LMS (1987).
- Douglas Lenat's Automated Mathematician and Eurisko artificial intelligence programs were inspired by Pólya's work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is George Pólya?
George Pólya (1887–1985) was a Hungarian-American mathematician born in Budapest who became a towering figure in problem-solving methodology, combinatorics, and applied mathematics. He spent his career teaching at ETH Zürich and later Stanford University.
What is George Pólya most famous for?
He is best remembered for his heuristics work—codifying the art of how to actually solve mathematical problems—and for foundational results in combinatorics, number theory, numerical analysis, and probability. His problem-solving philosophy reshaped how mathematics is taught worldwide.
What does the "Martians" label mean in relation to Pólya?
Pólya is frequently grouped under the informal nickname "The Martians," a playful shorthand for the extraordinary cluster of Hungarian-born scientists who emigrated to the U.S. and transformed multiple disciplines in the twentieth century. It highlights the sheer density of top-tier talent that left Hungary during that era.
Where did George Pólya teach?
He held a professorship at ETH Zürich in Switzerland before moving to the United States, where he became a long-standing faculty member at Stanford University in California.
When and where did George Pólya die?
Pólya passed away on September 7, 1985, in Palo Alto, California, at the age of 97. He lived long enough to watch his problem-solving approach become a standard fixture in mathematics curricula around the world.
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