Yea this surprised me at first - especially with the slope to n^2 seeming to indicate that the Y axis quantity remaining was known and measurable.
Additionally the quote below it:
> Mathematicians have been getting closer to their goal of reaching exponent two — meaning multiplying a pair of n-by-n matrices in only n2 steps — but will they ever reach it?
seems particularly odd when the height of those steps is irrelevant in the graphic - if the entire graph was just a flat plane going from n^3 to n^2 it would signify the "best" or at least fastest innovation, the "steppedness" of it and especially steep steps, indicate lags in progress rather than great leaps.
Additionally the quote below it:
> Mathematicians have been getting closer to their goal of reaching exponent two — meaning multiplying a pair of n-by-n matrices in only n2 steps — but will they ever reach it?
seems particularly odd when the height of those steps is irrelevant in the graphic - if the entire graph was just a flat plane going from n^3 to n^2 it would signify the "best" or at least fastest innovation, the "steppedness" of it and especially steep steps, indicate lags in progress rather than great leaps.