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A mathematical genius in China solved a supposedly confounding math problem in one night after it left a team of six PhD mathematicians puzzled for four months.

The display of extraordinary mental prowess was reported by South China Morning Post.

Details regarding what happened was first put up online on May 6 via screenshots, SCMP reported.

The genius

The genius, Wei Dongyi, is a 30-year-old assistant mathematics professor at Peking University in Beijing.

Wei is known for being admitted to Peking University without taking the gaokao, which is China’s college entrance exam, recognised as one of the toughest exams in the world as it annually pits 10 million students against one another to gain entry to 6.6 million university places.

Wei had also won two consecutive gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad during his school years.

Wei’s math-solving skills have been called the “Wei method” because of his ability to solve problems quickly.

Approached to solve puzzle

As per the report, he was approached by the doctorate mathematicians for help after they struggled to build a mathematics model for months.

Wei then sent the team his equations a few days later.

The team reportedly adjusted their experiment according to the equations and the pass rate of the new model was successful at over 96 per cent.

To show their appreciation, the team offered to pay Wei for his work.

He declined and reportedly said: “It’s unnecessary to pay me for such an easy problem.”

Wei eventually allowed them to top up his transport card as a form of gratitude.

Wei's celebrity

Wei is not unknown in China.

In a 2021 interview, Wei's unkempt hair and water bottle that had seen better days first attracted the public's attention.

He was mistaken for a student at that time due to his scruffy appearance.

This prompted people online to buy him new bottles.

But this outpouring of good will bothered him.

Wei said: “But I’m worried about the gift-giving issue and how it affects my teaching ethics.”

Wei was then given the dubious honour of Peking University’s “ugliest math teacher”.

Jiupai News, a Chinese news media, reported that Wei had turned down an offer from Harvard to study as a PhD candidate.

This was despite the school having promised to waive his English competency test and provide him with an interpreter.

“The application process is complicated, and my English is not very good,” Wei explained.

Top photos via China Daily & min.news