RC Passage 2 Explanation
PASSAGE TEXT: The success that Nigerian-born computer scientist Philip Emeagwali (b. 1954) has had in …
Paragraph Summaries
- Philip Emeagwali pioneered the use of parallel computers to predict the flow of oil through oil fields. Parallel computers use a network of many small computers working at the same time. By contrast, traditional supercomputers work sequentially, which is powerful but slow.
- By mimicking the design of trees, Emeagwali was able to design an efficient parallel computer which connected and used 65,000 smaller computers.
- In 1996 Emeagwali proposed a parallel computer design based on honeycombs. He claims this will let us predict the weather a century in advance. Emeagwali expects that scientists will increasingly get solutions from nature.
Analysis
Note the difference between sequential and parallel. Sequential means “one after the other”. If you have to do a trillion things sequentially, you probably can’t do them very quickly. Whereas parallel computers can do many things at once.
The other key theme of this passage is that Emeagwali turns to solutions from nature. First trees (paragraph 2) and then honeycombs (paragraph 3).
# Note re: Philip Emeagwali
Generally LSAT passages stick to truth. It is worth mentioning that Philip Emeagwali has been the subject of an expose by a Nigerian newspaper, claiming that he did not invent parallel computing and exaggerated or invented most of his claimed accomplishments. You may read the articles here if you wish:
- https://saharareporters.com/2010/10/18/how-philip-emeagwali-lied-his-way-fame
- https://saharareporters.com/2010/11/16/what-philip-emeagwali-told-me
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