‘Human computer’ sets calculation record

updated 5:58 p.m. ET Nov. 15, 2007

NEW YORK - In a basement room at the Hall of Science in New York, Alexis Lemaire has set a world record in calculation.

The 27-year-old artificial-intelligence researcher from France calculated the 13th root of a 200-digit number in 72 seconds.

That’s about five seconds faster than the previous record, which Lemaire also held.

He says in artificial-intelligence research, the goal is to get computers to mimic the human brain. But in fast calculation, he’s trying to do the exact opposite: mimic the action of a computer.

The 200-digit number is too long to repeat here. But if you multiply two quadrillion, 397 trillion, 207 billion, 667 million, 966 thousand, 701 by itself 13 times — you’ll get it.

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