erdsítése

Erdősítés is a Hungarian term that translates to "Erdősification" in English, referring to the practice of assigning a numerical "Erdős number" to mathematicians based on their collaboration with the highly prolific Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős. This number represents the shortest path of co-authorship from a given mathematician to Erdős.

The concept originated in the mid-20th century as a playful yet insightful way to map the interconnectedness of the mathematical community. Paul Erdős himself had an Erdős number of 0, as he is the reference point. Mathematicians who published a paper directly with Erdős were assigned an Erdős number of 1. Those who co-authored with someone who had an Erdős number of 1, but not with Erdős himself, received an Erdős number of 2, and so on.

The Erdős number serves as a measure of a mathematician's proximity to this central figure in 20th-century mathematics. While initially a casual system, it has been extensively studied and cataloged, with a significant portion of the mathematical world having a finite Erdős number. This reflects Erdős's extensive travels and collaborations, which spanned numerous fields of mathematics and involved hundreds of co-authors. The highest known Erdős numbers are generally considered to be relatively low, highlighting the extensive reach of his influence and collaborative network.