The first question in a series of quiz questions, and easy one to begin with:

In 2004, Robert Crease, a philosophy professor, science historian and columnist with Physics World, conducted a worldwide poll among his readers on the greatest equations. Apparently 120 people cared to respond, and the joint winners were Maxwell‘s and Euler‘s equations. Newton, Pythagoras, Schroedinger and Einstein made up the top six.

At eighth was an equation described by a reader as “I know that other equations have done more, express greater power and have a broader understanding of the universe. But there’s something to be said for the beauty of the simplest thing of their kind.”

Identify this very simple equation.

ANSWER:

1 + 1 = 2