Gilbert Strang never set out to be an internet celebrity. He just wanted to teach math.
For 61 years, the MIT professor has been standing at the chalkboard, leading students through linear algebra, a subject that sounds boring until you realize it's the quiet force behind everything from Netflix recommendations to ChatGPT. When he finally stepped away in May 2023, at the age of 88, more than 6,000 people watched his last lecture live and the room gave him a standing ovation that went on long after he finished speaking.
