Pennsylvania Teen Solves Math Puzzle, Wins $250,000

17-year-old Connor Hill used a computer program to solve a geometry problem that puzzled mathematicians for years.

Washington, D.C. – A high school student from Pennsylvania has won a top science prize for solving a difficult math problem. Connor Hill, 17, from Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, created a computer program that found all possible examples of a rare type of 3D shape called "noble polyhedra".

His work proved that there are exactly 146 isolated noble polyhedra, along with two never-ending families of these shapes. For this achievement, Hill won the first prize of $250,000 at the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search. The awards ceremony took place in Washington, D.C..

What Are Noble Polyhedra?

Polyhedra are 3D shapes with flat sides and straight edges. Common examples include cubes and pyramids. A "noble" polyhedron has a special kind of symmetry — every face is the same shape and every corner has the same arrangement of faces.

Before Hill's work, mathematicians had already found two infinite families of these shapes. By 2020, they had also found 61 individual examples. But no one knew if there were more.

How He Solved It

Hill wrote a custom computer program to solve the problem. Instead of searching through endless shapes, he turned the geometry into algebraic equations that the computer could solve. His program completed a full search and showed that exactly 146 isolated noble polyhedra exist.

Hill said his interest in the problem started in an online geometry community, where it was discussed as an open challenge. He explained his approach simply: "By translating the problem into a different mathematical framework, I could narrow it down to a finite set that could actually be solved".

What's Next?

Hill attends Delta High School in State College, Pennsylvania. He plans to study computational mathematics at MIT. He believes the method he developed could be useful in other areas of science and math.

The Regeneron Science Talent Search is the oldest and one of the most prestigious science competitions for high school seniors in the United States.