1988年，Springer-Verlag主持在Mathematical Intelligencer上评选10个最美数学定理，结果如下：

1. Euler’s identity, e^iπ = −1

2. Euler’s formula for a polyhedron, V+ F = E + 2

3. There are infinitely many prime numbers.

4. There are only 5 regular polyhedra

5. The sum of the reciprocals of the squares of the positive integers is π²/6.

6. A continuous mapping of a closed unit disk into itself has a fixed point.

7. The square root of 2 is irrational.

8. π is a transcendental number.

9. Every plane map can be colored with just 4 colors.

10. Every prime number of the form 4n+1 is the sum of two square integers in only one way.

据说只有68个响应的，那么结果的偏见是难免了。而且，当选者的“美”不在同一层次。7太简单（不如直接列勾股定理）；4是2的推论；5只是一个级数计算结果（关于π的五花八门的级数可以写满一本书）；6（Brouwer不动点定理）在这儿有点儿另类；8可以认为是1的推论；9（四色定理）还没证明呢（机器玩儿的不算）；10没什么意思，比它美的素数结果太多了。我最喜欢2。

至于1，也不算什么定理，不过是一个特例，但它别有趣味，可以引出别的话题……