▁to ▁that ▁of ▁solving ▁a ▁mathematical ▁equation . ▁A ▁properly ▁formed ▁equation ▁can ▁always ▁be ▁solved ▁if ▁enough ▁of ▁its ▁variables ▁can ▁be ▁computed ▁and ▁if ▁the ▁math ematic ian ▁poss esses ▁enough ▁skill ▁to ▁handle ▁the ▁equation ' s ▁complexity . ▁Det ect ive ▁fiction ▁often ▁dep ict s ▁crime - sol ving ▁in ▁a ▁similar ▁light . ▁Thus , ▁a ▁na ï ve ▁reader ▁of ▁such ▁fiction ▁might ▁well ▁conclude ▁that , ▁even ▁in ▁real ▁life , ▁if ▁a ▁detect ive ▁fails ▁to ▁solve ▁a ▁crime , ▁it ▁is ▁either ▁because ▁the ▁perpet r ator ▁executed ▁the ▁crime ▁well ▁enough ▁to ▁avoid ▁leaving ▁the ▁necessary ▁cl ues — like ▁an ▁equation ▁for ▁which ▁not ▁enough ▁variables ▁could ▁be ▁computed ▁— ▁or ▁because ▁the ▁detect ive ▁was ▁not ▁clever ▁enough ▁to ▁properly ▁locate , ▁assemble ▁and ▁analyze ▁those ▁cl ues ▁to ▁determine ▁what ▁had ▁occurred — like ▁a ▁math ematic ian ▁who ▁la cks ▁the ▁skill ▁to ▁handle ▁the ▁complexity ▁of ▁the ▁equation ▁with ▁which ▁he ▁is ▁presented . ▁ ▁In ▁mention ing ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁an ▁alternate ▁ending ▁to ▁Matth ä i ' s ▁story , ▁Dr . ▁H . ▁is ▁not ing ▁that ▁with ▁such ▁an ▁ending , ▁the ▁story ▁would ▁( and , ▁in ▁Es ▁gesch ah ▁am ▁hel licht en ▁Tag , ▁did ) ▁follow ▁precisely ▁the ▁mathematical ▁equation ▁presentation ▁typical ▁of ▁standard ▁detect ive ▁fiction . ▁However , ▁given ▁the ▁actual ▁ending ▁as ▁related ▁by ▁Dr . ▁H ., ▁Matth ä i ' s ▁failure ▁to ▁solve