ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Hilbert's thirteenth problem

Do you know what a puzzle is? Hilbert's thirteenth problem is a very tricky and special puzzle for mathematicians. It was created by a German mathematician named David Hilbert a long time ago.

Now, imagine a very big and complicated math problem that has many different parts in it. Hilbert's thirteenth problem is a problem that asks mathematicians if they can find a way to solve all parts of the puzzle with some special rules.

This puzzle is like a treasure hunt, where the mathematicians have to use their smart brains to find where the treasure is hidden, but this treasure is not gold, it is a solution to this problem. It is very difficult, but many mathematicians have worked hard to solve it over the years.

The idea behind the puzzle is that you're given a system of equations, and you have to find out whether they have solutions (or not) in certain types of numbers. It's like trying to figure out which shapes can fit inside a certain box, and which shapes won't fit no matter what you do.

So, Hilbert's thirteenth problem is a unique puzzle that mathematicians are still trying to solve today, even though it was created many years ago. It's like a big mystery with many different clues, and all the smart mathematicians are trying to put these clues together to solve the ultimate puzzle.
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