P ?=? NP question

Even though a huge amount of collective work has been done, so far, no one has found algorithms for quickly solving problems like determining whether a map will require four colors or just three (see The Most Colorful Math of All) or for solving the Ice Cream Stands Problem for any very large map (see Ice Cream and Algorithms for All.

Working unbelievably hard to discover an algorithm and not finding one, however, cannot eliminate the possibility that that a solution will not someday be found. Mathematicians are doubtful that an algorithm will be discovered for quickly solving all cases of the Map Coloring problem or for the Ice Creams Stands problem, but they cannot say for sure that it won't be.

Mathematicians have been able to demonstrate that these 2 problems (and many, many others) have enough in common that finding an algorithm for solving one of them will prove that algorithms can be found to solve all of them. Similarly, if someone can prove, for one of these problems, that it is impossible to find an algorithm to solve it, this will prove that no algorithms can be found to solve any of the others, either.

Will an algorithm be found? Will someone prove that one can't be found? No one knows, and this is one of the most important unsolved problems of mathematics and computer science today. Mathematicians call it the P ?=? NP question. Maybe you will be the one to solve it. Perhaps your unique perspective on coloring maps or thinking about the Ice Cream Stands problem will lead to a solution.