The Life of Enrico Fermi
Enrico Fermi was born in Rome, Italy, in 1901. As a child, he displayed exceptional mathematical and scientific abilities and pursued his studies in physics at the University of Pisa. In 1926, he became a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Rome, where he worked on quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics. In 1934, Fermi won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on nuclear reactions, and he continued to make significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics throughout his career. Fermi moved to the United States in 1938 to escape the rising political tensions in Europe, and he eventually became a professor at the University of Chicago. There, he led the team that developed the first nuclear reactor, which played a crucial role in the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
What is a Fermi Problem?
Fermi problems are named after Enrico Fermi, who was known for his ability to solve complex problems quickly and accurately using this method. They are quantitative, requiring estimation and approximation to arrive at a solution. Typically posed as open-ended questions with limited information, they force the solver to make educated guesses based on their knowledge and understanding of the problem.
Examples of Fermi Problems
“How many piano tuners are there in New York City?”
💡TIP: Estimate of the total number of households in New York City, the percentage of households that own pianos, the frequency with which pianos need to be tuned, and the amount of time it takes for a piano tuner to tune a piano.
“How many grains of sand are there on a beach?”
💡TIP: Estimate the of the area of the beach, the average thickness of the layer of sand on the beach, and the average size of a grain of sand.
How much does the Eiffel Tower weigh?
💡TIP: Estimate the of the weight of the individual components of the tower, such as the metal framework and the paint, and the overall dimensions of the tower.
Sure, but who actually uses Fermi problems?
Some of the best minds in contemporary history…
As Ashlee Vance put it in her book Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the quest for a fantastic future,
“One of Musk’s favorite techniques for evaluating projects is the Fermi problem…Musk thinks that the key to solving complex problems is to break them down into their component parts and to make rough estimates based on available information.”
Similarly, Warren Buffett has used Fermi problems to estimate the future growth potential of various companies and industries, as explained by Alice Schroeder in her book The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life,
“Buffett has used Fermi problems to estimate the future growth potential of various companies and industries…He estimates the earnings power of companies like Coca-Cola, and he estimates the potential future growth of the insurance industry, in which his company Berkshire Hathaway is a major player.”
Finally, even the great Steve Jobs used Fermi problems as stated by Walter Isaacson in his book Steve Jobs.
“In meetings with his top lieutenants, Jobs would often pose a question that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the business at hand, such as how many trees there were in the world or how long it would take to build a glass screen for the iPhone. He would then challenge his team to use Fermi problems to arrive at an answer.”
Building Critical and Abstract Thinking Skills
Problem solving is a muscle that needs to be worked out regularly. Fermi problems help to build the muscles of critical and abstract thinking skills by teaching individuals to break down complex problems into manageable parts and make educated guesses based on available information. By using approximation and estimation techniques, they can help individuals develop a better understanding of complex systems and phenomena. They also improve one’s ability to think creatively and outside the box, as they often require unconventional approaches to arrive at a solution.
Recent studies have suggested that regularly engaging in activities that involve abstract reasoning and problem-solving can have a positive impact on cognitive abilities. One study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition found that individuals who regularly engaged in cognitive training activities, including abstract problem-solving tasks, showed improvements in working memory and processing speed compared to a control group (Jaeggi et al., 2008). Another study published in the journal Intelligence found that individuals who regularly engaged in activities that involved abstract reasoning, such as playing chess or solving puzzles, had higher scores on measures of fluid intelligence, which is the ability to reason and solve problems in new situations (Bilalić et al., 2007).
Abstract thinking is more important today than ever before in human history due to the complex and rapidly changing nature of the world we live in. Advances in technology, globalization, and the interconnectedness of various systems have created new challenges that require individuals to think critically and abstractly.
The Challenge
Just once per day… find and attempt to solve your own Fermi problem. Make it something starkly unfamiliar to you that will push your mental abilities. You’ll notice that having a solid grasp of nothing more than the basics of mathematics is all you need to wield this powerful tool.
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