The story unlocks once you make your call.
A myth. Top marks. He had taught himself calculus by fifteen.
Where it came from
In 1895, at sixteen and two years younger than usual, Einstein sat the entrance exam for the Zurich Polytechnic. He did badly in the general sections, such as French, and was told to finish secondary school first. That stumble was retold as a failure in mathematics.
A 1935 Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” item spread the story widely. When a rabbi showed it to him that year, Einstein laughed and replied that he had never failed in mathematics.
What’s actually true
His school report from Aarau in 1896 gives him a 6, the highest mark on the Swiss scale, in algebra, geometry and physics. Einstein was exceptional at mathematics from childhood.
Further reading
- Walter Isaacson, Einstein: His Life and Universe (2007)