In science and mathematics, an open problem or an open question is a known problem that can be accurately stated, and has not yet been solved (no solution for it is known). Some questions remain unanswered for centuries before solutions are found. Two notable examples in mathematics that have been solved and closed by researchers in the late twentieth century are Fermat's Last Theorem[1] and the four color map theorem.[2][3] An important mathematics open problem solved in early 21st century is the Poincare Conjecture.
Important open problems exist in many fields, such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer science, and Mathematics. For example, one of the most important open problems in biochemistry is the protein structure prediction problem[4][5] – how to predict a protein's structure from its sequence.
It is common in graduate schools to point out open problems to students. Graduate students as well as faculty members often engage in research to solve such problems.
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