As I got older and more mathematically savvy, I dismissed the whole thing as Hollywood hokum. Good Will Hunting might tell a great story, but it isn’t very realistic. In fact, the mathematical challenge doesn’t hold up under much scrutiny. With the award ceremony for the Oscars this month, many people are thinking back on past winners—including Good Will Hunting. It’s worth taking a closer look at the blackboard in a film that, in 1997, took nine nominations and won for both original screenplay and actor in a supporting role.