The Day I Met Ron Graham

RON GRAHAM 1935-2020

I know the exact date I met Ron Graham - it was the 16th of May, 2014.

That’s because it’s immortalised on my office wall, alongside his signature.

Since childhood I’ve known his name because of Graham’s Number.

The unimaginably large number, made famous by the Guinness Book of Records, was a staple in any book of “amazing factoids” I’d borrow from the library.

I’d use it to boggle my family and friends.

I’d say things like: “You know, if all the matter in the Universe was turned into ink, you still couldn’t write out Graham’s Number.”

Into adulthood, I’d use the same tales to amaze my friends’ children.

Saucer-eyed, they’d ask why it was called “Graham’s Number”.

“Because the man who invented it was called Graham,” I’d answer.

I knew nothing of the man himself - where or when he might have lived.

In fact even when I started the YouTube Channel Numberphile, I still knew little of Ron Graham.

But I was sure I wanted to make a video about his number.

In fact, I feel confident saying Graham’s Number played a major role in me starting the Numberphile exploration of math and numbers.

Early in the project I enlisted the fantastic Matt Parker and Tony Padilla to tell the story of Graham’s Number, and they did a great job.

Tony even calculated my new favourite factoid - holding all the digits of Graham’s Number in your brain would cause your head to collapse into a black hole.

Later in the Numberphile project, I started visiting and collaborating with MSRI - a prestigious math institute in Berkeley, California.

One day I was in the office of its director, the well-connected David Eisenbud.

I was telling him of my fascination with Graham’s Number, to which David replied Ron Graham was a good friend.

Within minutes he was on the phone to Ron Graham - and soon I was on a plane to San Diego to meet the man himself.

It was a surreal experience. I’m not easily star-struck, but this was how I felt.

I was nervous knocking on his door.

Ron Graham was not what I expected. Of course he was an older man, but his hair retained a golden blondness and he wore it longer than one might expect.

He had an almost “surfie” youthfulness befitting his home overlooking the ocean. He wore a step counter and was fitness conscious.

We spoke about mundane things - I seem to recall him discussing daily trips to Starbucks.

He also spoke with great fondness for his wife Fan - I recall how besotted he seemed.

But talk soon turned to mathematics.

(At this point out I must point out Ron Graham was a mathematical Top Gun with a long list of accomplishments, and I’m almost embarrassed by my obsession with this one number… Ron himself seemed baffled by my interest!)

Ron was famously close friends with the legendary Paul Erdős - acting as a business and life manger for the terribly disorganised Erdős.

He spoke of Erdős often throughout the day, showing me boxes of Erdős files stored in the garage.

Then it was time to film some Numberphile videos.

Of course we did Graham’s Number (a few videos).

We also did a few other bits, including one on Erdős.

Ron was a pleasure to film - I think he enjoyed it.

After that he showed me more photos, we talked about juggling, and he discussed some work his daughter was doing (of which he was clearly proud).

I thought my time was up - but then Ron asked if he could buy me a meal.

Of course!!!

We walked out the driveway where he and his wife had their cars parked - the license plates were NUMBER and THEOREM. (Fan is a mathematician too.)

Ron drove us to local sushi place and was just sat around talking math - just ME and Ron Graham.

Like most mathematicians, he quickly grabbed some napkins and scrawled on them to visualise his explanations.

I grabbed the napkins before we left - and still have them!!!!

Ron dropped me back at the hotel and said his goodbyes.

As he drove off into the sunset, with his NUMBER-plated Lexus, the hotel doorman asked me how my day was.

“See the guy driving off there, with NUMBER on his license plate,” I said.

“Yes.”

“He’s a mathematician… and he invented the BIGGEST NUMBER EVER! If the whole universe was turned into ink, you still couldn’t write it down.”

“Cool!”

UPDATE: A podcast tribute to Ron Graham