Teen Alerts Boston Museum Of Science To Error In Decades-Old Math Exhibit

BOSTON (CBS) – A teenager's attention to detail helped the Boston Museum of Science correct an error in a decades old mathematics exhibit.

Joseph Rosenfeld, 15, noticed an error in a formula for the Golden Ratio that is displayed as a part of the Museum of Science's "Mathematica" exhibit.

A subtraction sign was listed in the formula where an addition sign should have been in three places of the exhibit.

Rosenfield's aunt contacted the museum after they left, and employees in charge of the exhibit found that the teen's suspicions were correct.

Museum officials were able to change the error in the formula without impacting the rest of the exhibit, which is decades old and is "very difficult to change."

The exhibit was developed in the 1960's by Charles and Ray Eames.

"Partly because they are so famous, an unusual thing about Mathematica is that the whole exhibition is considered an artifact," Alana Parkes, Museum of Science exhibit content developer, wrote in a letter to Rosenfield.

"This means that decisions about everything in the exhibition requires both Curatorial and Content Development consent (and most things can't be changed at all). It also means that this mistake has been there for a very long time."

Parkes thanked Rosenfield for his attention to detail and invited him back to view other exhibits currently at the museum.

"And please let me know if you catch any other mistakes!" Parkes wrote.