Matt Waiters, age 16, of Columbus, Ohio, for his question:

WHO WAS OMAR KHAYYAM?

Omar Khayyam was a Persian writer, mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 1100s. He is also the author of the "Rubaiyat," a work of poetry that is regarded by many experts as one of the world's most famous works.

His name means "Omar the Tentmaker." His father's trade was making tents. Born in Nishapur, which is now Neyshabur, Iran, Omar served as a royal court astronomer and worked on a project to revise the calendar. He also wrote about all areas of mathematics.

Omar Khayyam's "Rubaiyat" is made up of about 1,000 four line verses that tell about nature and the human experience.

An English poet and translator named Edward FitzGerald in 1859 published about 100 of Omar's quatrains. Featured in this collection were reflections on the fleeting sweetness of life and the great pleasure that is found in love.