John von Neumann summary

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John von Neumann, orig. János Neumann, (born Dec. 28, 1903, Budapest, Hung.—died Feb. 8, 1957, Washington, D.C., U.S.), Hungarian-born U.S. mathematician. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Budapest, he emigrated to the U.S. to teach at Princeton University (1930) and was among the original faculty of the Institute for Advanced Study (from 1933). He solved one of David Hilbert’s 23 theoretical problems and collaborated on developing an algebraic ring with profound applications in quantum physics. During World War II he participated in the development of the atomic bomb. After the war he made major contributions to the development of high-speed computers; one of his computers was essential to the creation of the hydrogen bomb. As coauthor of Theory of Games and Economic Behavior (1944), he was one of the founders of game theory.

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