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1,500
Editors' remarks (on two complexity theory surveys in the Bulletin)
math.HO
The authors discuss the role of controversy in mathematics as a preface to two opposing articles on computational complexity theory: "Some basic information on information-based complexity theory" by Beresford Parlett [math.NA/9201266] and "Perspectives on information-based complexity" by J. F. Traub and Henryk Wo\'zni...
math
1,501
Two notes on notation
math.HO
The author advocates two specific mathematical notations from his popular course and joint textbook, "Concrete Mathematics". The first of these, extending an idea of Iverson, is the notation "[P]" for the function which is 1 when the Boolean condition P is true and 0 otherwise. This notation can encourage and clarify t...
math
1,502
``Theoretical mathematics'': Toward a cultural synthesis of mathematics and theoretical physics
math.HO
Is speculative mathematics dangerous? Recent interactions between physics and mathematics pose the question with some force: traditional mathematical norms discourage speculation, but it is the fabric of theoretical physics. In practice there can be benefits, but there can also be unpleasant and destructive consequence...
math
1,503
Responses to ``Theoretical Mathematics: Toward a cultural synthesis of mathematics and theoretical physics'', by A. Jaffe and F. Quinn
math.HO
This article is a collection of letters solicited by the editors of the Bulletin in response to a previous article by Jaffe and Quinn [math.HO/9307227]. The authors discuss the role of rigor in mathematics and the relation between mathematics and theoretical physics.
math
1,504
Response to comments on ``Theoretical mathematics''
math.HO
The authors discuss various objections and rejoinders in the collected responses [math.HO/9404229,math.HO/9404236] to their original article on the relationship between mathematics and theoretical physics [math.HO/9307227].
math
1,505
Editor's column (on an article by Jaffe and Quinn)
math.HO
This note is a preface to various responses [math.HO/9404229,math.HO/9404236] to an opinion piece by Jaffe and Quinn [math.HO/9307227] on the relationship between mathematics and theoretical physics.
math
1,506
On proof and progress in mathematics
math.HO
In response to Jaffe and Quinn [math.HO/9307227], the author discusses forms of progress in mathematics that are not captured by formal proofs of theorems, especially in his own work in the theory of foliations and geometrization of 3-manifolds and dynamical systems.
math
1,507
Electronic Mathematics Journals
math.HO
In the Forum section of the November, 1993 Notices of the American Mathematical Society, John Franks discussed the electronic journal of the future. Since then, the New York Journal of Mathematics, the first electronic general mathematics journal, has begun publication. In this article, we explore the issues of electro...
math
1,508
Mathematics Journals Should Be Electronic and Free
math.HO
Many important journal functions would be lost if the mathematical community replaced all paper journals with electronic media. Electronic media are useful for some purposes, but they will not be the basis for a publishing revolution in the near future.
math
1,509
Interactive games, dialogues and the verbalization
math.HO
The note is devoted to an interactive game theoretic formalization of dialogues as psycholinguistic phenomena and the unraveling of a hidden dialogue structure of 2-person differential interactive games. In the field-theoretic description of interactive games the dialogues are defined naively as interactive games of di...
math
1,510
On the section of a cone
math.HO
A problem from Democritus is used to illustrate the building, and use, of infinitesimal covectors from its regularized, finite, counterpart.
math
1,511
Caleidoscope-roulette: the resonance phenomena in perception games
math.HO
Kaleidoscope-roulettes, a proper class of perception games, is described. Kaleidoscope-roulette is defined as a perception and, hence, verbalizable interactive game, whose hidden dialogue consists of quasirandom sequences of ``words''. The resonance phenomena in such games and their controlling are discussed.
math
1,512
On the babylonian method of extracting root squares
math.HO
We discuss the babylonian method of extracting the root square of a number, from the point of view of modern mathematics. We also speculate that the babylonian mathematics was rich enough for a generalization of this method, despite the lack of general statements and justified procedures in their mathematics.
math
1,513
Poincaré's Proof of the so-called Birkhoff-Witt Theorem
math.HO
A methodical analysis of the research related to the article, ``Sur les groupes continus'', of Henri Poincar\'{e} reveals many historical misconceptions and inaccuracies regarding his contribution to Lie theory. A thorough reading of this article confirms the precedence of his discovery of many important concepts, espe...
math
1,514
Representative dynamics
math.HO
This short note is devoted to the representative dynamics, which realizes a link between the theory of controlled systems and representation theory. Dynamical inverse problem of representation theory for controlled systems is considered: to solve it means to correspond a representative dynamics to the controlled system...
math
1,515
A Mathematical Theory of Origami Numbers and Constructions
math.HO
We give a hierarchial set of axioms for mathematical origami. The hierachy gives the fields of Pythagorean numbers, first discussed by Hilbert, the field of Euclidean constructible numbers which are obtained by the usual constructions of straightedge and compass, and the Origami numbers, which is also the field generat...
math
1,516
q-Newton binomial: from Euler to Gauss
math.HO
A counter-intuitive result of Gauss (formulae (1.6), (1.7) below) is made less mysterious by virtue of being generalized through the introduction of an additional parameter.
math
1,517
The Modular Tree of Pythagorus
math.HO
The Pythagorean triples have the structure of a ternary rooted tree; the tree is based on the Cayley graph of a free subgroup of the modular group
math
1,518
On Fermat's marginal note: a suggestion
math.HO
A suggestion is put forward regarding a partial proof of FLT(case1), which is elegant and simple enough to have caused Fermat's enthusiastic remark in the margin of his Bachet edition of Diophantus' "Arithmetica". It is based on an extension of Fermat's Small Theorem (FST) to mod p^k for any k>0, and the cubic roots of...
math
1,519
Notes to the early history of the Knot Theory in Japan
math.HO
We give a description of the growth of research on Knot Theory in Japan. We place our report in a general historical context. In particular, we compare the development of research on mathematical topology in Japan with that in Poland and USA, observing several similarities. Toward the end of XIX century and at the begi...
math
1,520
Tolstoy's Mathematics in "War and Peace"
math.HO
The nineteenth century Russian author Leo Tolstoy based his egalitarian views on sociology and history on mathematical and probabilistic views, and he also proposed a mathematical theory of waging war.
math
1,521
Short Calculus
math.HO
This paper has been withdrawn by the author.
math
1,522
The Rational Cuboid Table of Maurice Kraitchik
math.HO
The original tables of body cuboids by Maurice Kraitchik are corrected, restoring 159 missing cuboids. His table range is then extended for all odd sides less than 1,000,000 to a new limit of 4,294,967,295. Over this new range, 12,517 unique body cuboids are listed, from the original 416.
math
1,523
Kepler's Area Law in the Principia: Filling in some details in Newton's proof of Prop. 1
math.HO
During the past 25 years there has been a controversy regarding the adequacy of Newton's proof of Prop. 1 in Book 1 of the {\it Principia}. This proposition is of central importance because its proof of Kepler's area law allowed Newton to introduce a geometric measure for time to solve problems in orbital dynamics in t...
math
1,524
The Life and Works of Raoul Bott
math.HO
a 10-page biography of Raoul Bott followed by a 25-page discussion of his major papers
math
1,525
Weierstraß
math.HO
We give a short biographical sketch of Karl Weierstrass.
math
1,526
Foundations of Mathematics
math.HO
This article discusses what can be proved about the foundations of mathematics using the notions of algorithm and information. The first part is retrospective, and presents a beautiful antique, Godel's proof, the first modern incompleteness theorem, Turing's halting problem, and a piece of postmodern metamathematics, t...
math
1,527
Noether
math.HO
We give a short biographical sketch of Emmy Noether.
math
1,528
Hypothesis of the Functional Semantic Constructions and Mathematics in the Functional Semantic Aspect
math.HO
This essay contains three parts. The first part of essay focuses on the hypothesis of the functional semantic constructions (FSC-Hypothesis). This hypothesis explains that a language, a number, a money are the functional semantic constructions. In the second part the author considers the Mathematics with respect to the...
math
1,529
On the intelligibility of the universe and the notions of simplicity, complexity and irreducibility
math.HO
We discuss views about whether the universe can be rationally comprehended, starting with Plato, then Leibniz, and then the views of some distinguished scientists of the previous century. Based on this, we defend the thesis that comprehension is compression, i.e., explaining many facts using few theoretical assumptions...
math
1,530
Scholarly mathematical communication at a crossroads
math.HO
This essay was invited for publication in Nieuw Archief voor Wiskunde; it will also appear in translation in the SMF Gazette and in the DMV Mitteilungen. I discuss the recent trends in scholarly communication in mathematics, the current state and intentions of the arXiv, and a proposal to reform peer review with the ...
math
1,531
On the information-theoretic approach to Gödel's incompleteness theorem
math.HO
In this paper we briefly review and analyze three published proofs of Chaitin's theorem, the celebrated information-theoretic version of G\"odel's incompleteness theorem. Then, we discuss our main perplexity concerning a key step common to all these demonstrations.
math
1,532
Some non-conventional ideas about algorithmic complexity
math.HO
In this paper the author presents some non-conventional thoughts on the complexity of the Universe and the algorithmic reproducibility of the human brain, essentially sparked off by the notion of algorithmic complexity. We must warn that though they evoke suggestive scenarios, they are still quite speculative.
math
1,533
International comparisons in mathematics education: an overview
math.HO
The paper opens with an overview of the discussion of international comparisons (including goals) in mathematics education. Afterwards, the two most important recent international studies, the PISA Study and TIMSS-Repeat, are described. After a short description of the qualitative-quantitative debate, a qualitatively o...
math
1,534
Graphical explanation for the speed of the Fast Fourier Transform
math.HO
For a sample set of 1024 values, the FFT is 102.4 times faster than the discrete Fourier transform (DFT). The basis for this remarkable speed advantage is the `bit-reversal' scheme of the Cooley-Tukey algorithm. Eliminating the burden of `degeneracy' by this means is readily understood using vector graphics.
math
1,535
Two philosophical applications of algorithmic information theory
math.HO
Two philosophical applications of the concept of program-size complexity are discussed. First, we consider the light program-size complexity sheds on whether mathematics is invented or discovered, i.e., is empirical or is a priori. Second, we propose that the notion of algorithmic independence sheds light on the questi...
math
1,536
First Case of Fermat's Last Theorem
math.HO
In this paper two conjectures are proposed based on which we can prove the first case of Fermat's Last Theorem(FLT) for all primes $p \equiv -1 (\bmod~6)$. With Pollaczek's result {\bf [1]} and the conjectures the first case of FLT can be proved for all primes greater than 3. With a computer Conjecture1 was verified to...
math
1,537
From Philosophy to Program Size
math.HO
Most work on computational complexity is concerned with time. However this course will try to show that program-size complexity, which measures algorithmic information, is of much greater philosophical significance. I'll discuss how one can use this complexity measure to study what can and cannot be achieved by formal ...
math
1,538
Sur l'origine des chiffres arabes
math.HO
Sur l'origine des chiffres arabes A. Boucenna 1 From the pagination of an Algerian Arabic manuscript of the beginning of the 19th century,we rediscover the original shape that the Arabic numerals had before passing in Europe and underwent the transformation that gave the modern Arabic numerals. This original shape,whos...
math
1,539
Teaching linear algebra at university
math.HO
Linear algebra represents, with calculus, the two main mathematical subjects taught in science universities. However this teaching has always been difficult. In the last two decades, it became an active area for research works in mathematics education in several countries. Our goal is to give a synthetic overview of th...
math
1,540
Popularizing mathematics: from eight to infinity
math.HO
It is rare to succeed in getting mathematics into ordinary conversation without meeting all kinds of reservations. In order to raise public awareness of mathematics effectively, it is necessary to modify such attitudes. In this paper, we point to some possible topics for general mathematical conversation.
math
1,541
Reforms of the university mathematics education for non-mathematical specialties
math.HO
This article is a part of the report for the research project ``Reform of the Course System and Teaching Content of Higher Mathematics (For Non-Mathematical Specialties)'' in 1995, supported by the National Ministry of Education. There are thirteen universities participated in this project. The Report not only reflects...
math
1,542
The teaching of proof
math.HO
This panel draws on research of the teaching of mathematical proof, conducted in five countries at different levels of schooling. With a shared view of proof as essential to the teaching and learning of mathematics, the authors present results of studies that explore the challenges for teachers in helping students lear...
math
1,543
"Algebraic truths" vs "geometric fantasies": Weierstrass' Response to Riemann
math.HO
In the 1850s Weierstrass succeeded in solving the Jacobi inversion problem for the hyper-elliptic case, and claimed he was able to solve the general problem. At about the same time Riemann successfully applied the geometric methods that he set up in his thesis (1851) to the study of Abelian integrals, and the solution ...
math
1,544
From quaternions to cosmology: spaces of constant curvature, ca. 1873-1925
math.HO
After mathematicians and physicists had learned that the structure of physical space was not necessarily Euclidean, it became conceivable that the global topological structure of space was non-trivial. In the context of the late 19th century debates on physical space this speculation gave rise to the problem of classif...
math
1,545
The third approach to the history of mathematics in China
math.HO
The first approach to the history of mathematics in China led by Li Yan (1892--1963) and Qian Baocong (1892--1974) featured discovering {\it what} mathematics had been done in China's past. From the 1970s on, Wu Wen-tsun and others shifted this research paradigm to one of recovering {\it how} mathematics was done in an...
math
1,546
Passages of Proof
math.HO
In this paper we propose a new perspective on the evolution and history of the idea of mathematical proof. Proofs will be studied at three levels: syntactical, semantical and pragmatical. Computer-assisted proofs will be give a special attention. Finally, in a highly speculative part, we will anticipate the evolution o...
math
1,547
Thoughts on the Riemann hypothesis
math.HO
The simultaneous appearance in May 2003 of four books on the Riemann hypothesis (RH) provoked these reflections. We briefly discuss whether the RH should be added as a new axiom, or whether a proof of the RH might involve the notion of randomness.
math
1,548
The Informal Logic of Mathematical Proof
math.HO
Informal logic is a method of argument analysis which is complementary to that of formal logic, providing for the pragmatic treatment of features of argumentation which cannot be reduced to logical form. The central claim of this paper is that a more nuanced understanding of mathematical proof and discovery may be achi...
math
1,549
Leibniz, Information, Math and Physics
math.HO
The information-theoretic point of view proposed by Leibniz in 1686 and developed by algorithmic information theory (AIT) suggests that mathematics and physics are not that different. This will be a first-person account of some doubts and speculations about the nature of mathematics that I have entertained for the past...
math
1,550
Embodied Mathematics and the Origins of Geometry
math.HO
In this paper, we propose that 'embodied mathematics' should be studied not only by reduction to the present individual bodily experience but in an historical context as well, as far as the origins of mathematics are concerned. Some early mathematical results are the Theorems of Geometry and arose as attempts to object...
math
1,551
Der rechnende Dichter (The calculating poet)
math.HO
A small and unsystematic selection of my favorite appearances of mathematicians and mathematics in German literature. It includes classic and romantic (Lessing, Goethe, Wezel, F. Schlegel, Kleist, Novalis, Grillparzer, Heine), modern (Wedekind, Doeblin, Morgenstern, Musil, Brecht, Eich), as well as post-modern authors ...
math
1,552
The Number System of the Old European Script
math.HO
The oldest (c. 4000 BC) undeciphered language is the Old European Script known from approximately 940 inscribed objects (82% of inscriptions on pottery) found in excavations in the Vinca-Tordos region Transylvania. Also, it is not known for what the script was used, but the prevailing theory is that it had a religious ...
math
1,553
Why I don't like "pure mathematics"
math.HO
An opiniated essay on what pure mathematics is and why the adjective "pure" in "pure mathematics" is not a good choice.
math
1,554
Solving the quartic with a pencil
math.HO
This expository paper presents the general solution of a quartic equation as a jump off point to introduce Lefschetz fibrations. It should be accessible to a broad audience.
math
1,555
Smarandache Sequences: Explorations and Discoveries with a Computer Algebra System
math.HO
We study Smarandache sequences of numbers, and related problems, via a Computer Algebra System. Solutions are discovered, and some conjectures presented.
math
1,556
A short constructive proof of Jordan's decomposition theorem
math.HO
Although there are many simple proofs of Jordan's decomposition theorem in the literature (see [1], the references mentioned there, and [2]), our proof seems to be even more elementary. In fact, all we need is the theorem on the dimensions of rang and kernel and the existence of eigenvalues of a linear transformation o...
math
1,557
Biography of John Rainwater
math.HO
The following paragraphs will describe the origins of John Rainwater, the impact of his work, the motivations for various parts of it and the prospects for his future.
math
1,558
A Brief Survey of the History of the Calculus of Variations and its Applications
math.HO
In this paper, we trace the development of the theory of the calculus of variations. From its roots in the work of Greek thinkers and continuing through to the Renaissance, we see that advances in physics serve as a catalyst for developments in the mathematical theory. From the 18th century onwards, the task of establi...
math
1,559
Role of Mathematics in Physical Sciences
math.HO
The role of mathematics in physical sciences is discussed, particularly how higher mathematics found applications in empirical problems. Several examples are given to illustrate this role.
math
1,560
Meta Math! The Quest for Omega
math.HO
This book presents a personal account of the mathematics and metamathematics of the 20th century leading up to the discovery of the halting probability Omega. The emphasis is on history of ideas and philosophical implications.
math
1,561
Fibonacci Rectangles
math.HO
Is there any other proportion for a rectangle, other than the Golden Proportion, that will allow the process of cutting off successive squares to produce an infinite paving of the original rectangle by squares of different sizes? The answer is: No. The only proportion that allows this pattern is the Golden Ratio. Two p...
math
1,562
Course of linear algebra and multidimensional geometry
math.HO
This is a standard textbook for the course of linear algebra and multidimensional geometry as it was taught in 1991-1998 at Mathematical Department of Bashkir State University. Both coordinate and invariant approaches are used, but invariant approach is preferred.
math
1,563
The Eudoxus Real Numbers
math.HO
This note describes a representation of the real numbers due to Schanuel. The representation lets us construct the real numbers from first principles. Like the well-known construction of the real numbers using Dedekind cuts, the idea is inspired by the ancient Greek theory of proportion, due to Eudoxus. However, unlike...
math
1,564
Leibniz, Randomness and the Halting Probability
math.HO
This paper, which is dedicated to Alan Turing on the 50th anniversary of his death, gives an overview and discusses the philosophical implications of incompleteness, uncomputability and randomness.
math
1,565
Areal Optimization of Polygons
math.HO
We will first solve the following problem analytically: given a piece of wire of specified length, we will find where the wire should be cut and bent to form two regular polygons not necessarily having the same number of sides, so that the combined area of the polygons thus formed is maximized, minimized, greater than,...
math
1,566
Consecutive, Reversed, Mirror, and Symmetric Smarandache Sequences of Triangular Numbers
math.HO
We use the Maple system to check the investigations of S. S. Gupta regarding the Smarandache consecutive and the reversed Smarandache sequences of triangular numbers [Smarandache Notions Journal, Vol. 14, 2004, pp. 366-368]. Furthermore, we extend previous investigations to the mirror and symmetric Smarandache sequence...
math
1,567
Totally real origami and impossible paper folding
math.HO
This paper gives one set of axioms for origami constructions, and describes the set of constructible points under these axioms. The determination of the set of cunstructible points for this particular set of axioms is related to Hilbert's 17 th problem.
math
1,568
On Bernoulli Numbers and Its Properties
math.HO
In this survey paper, I first review the history of Bernoulli numbers, then examine the modern definition of Bernoulli numbers and the appearance of Bernoulli numbers in expansion of functions. I revisit some properties of Bernoulli numbers and the history of the computation of big Bernoulli numbers.
math
1,569
Philosophy as a cultural resource and medium of reflection for Hermann Weyl
math.HO
Here we review a kind of post-World-War-II "Nachtrag" to H. Weyl's philosophical comments on mathematics and the natural sciences published in the middle of the 1920s. In a talk given at Z\"urich in the late 1940s, Weyl discussed F.Gonseth's dialectical epistemology and considered it as being restricted too strictly to...
math
1,570
Irreducible Complexity in Pure Mathematics
math.HO
By using ideas on complexity and randomness originally suggested by the mathematician-philosopher Gottfried Leibniz in 1686, the modern theory of algorithmic information is able to show that there can never be a "theory of everything" for all of mathematics.
math
1,571
How real are real numbers?
math.HO
We discuss mathematical and physical arguments against continuity and in favor of discreteness, with particular emphasis on the ideas of Emile Borel (1871-1956).
math
1,572
On Amicable Numbers With Different Parity
math.HO
In this paper we provide a straightforward proof that if a pair of amicable numbers with different parity exists (one number odd and the other one even), then the odd amicable number must be a perfect square, while the even amicable number has to be equal to the product of a power of 2 and an odd perfect square.
math
1,573
Looking through newly to the amazing irrationals
math.HO
We survay some nice result concerning the irrationals with a metric space point of view.Here is ofcourse nothing new may be or an expert in this field.
math
1,574
Mathematical Education
math.HO
This essay, originally published in the Sept 1990 Notices of the AMS, discusses problems of our mathematical education system that often stem from widespread misconceptions by well-meaning people of the process of learning mathematics. The essay also discusses ideas for fixing some of the problems. Most of what I wrote...
math
1,575
The Uses of Argument in Mathematics
math.HO
Stephen Toulmin once observed that `it has never been customary for philosophers to pay much attention to the rhetoric of mathematical debate'. Might the application of Toulmin's layout of arguments to mathematics remedy this oversight? Toulmin's critics fault the layout as requiring so much abstraction as to permit ...
math
1,576
Notes on Theory of Quadratic Residues
math.HO
The Law of Quadratic Reciprocity was conjectured by Euler and Legendre who both found an incomplete proof. Gauss called this law "Theorema Fundamentale", and he was the first who gave a complete proof, he also highlighted the equivalence of his formulation with those of Euler and Legrendre. Hereby notes gives a overvie...
math
1,577
Epistemology as Information Theory: From Leibniz to Omega
math.HO
In 1686 in his Discours de Metaphysique, Leibniz points out that if an arbitrarily complex theory is permitted then the notion of "theory" becomes vacuous because there is always a theory. This idea is developed in the modern theory of algorithmic information, which deals with the size of computer programs and provides...
math
1,578
Laplace transformation updated
math.HO
The traditional theory of Laplace transformation in its currently prevalent form is unsatisfactory. Its deficiencies can be traced back to a mismatch of the definition intervals of the original function and of the inverse L-transform. A new approach is outlined by which Laplace transformation becomes liberated from its...
math
1,579
Saunders Mac Lane, the Knight of Mathematics
math.HO
This is a short obituary of Saunders Mac Lane (1909--2005).
math
1,580
Traits
math.HO
Reminiscences about Alexandr Danilovich Alexandrov (1912--1999)
math
1,581
Group actions in number theory
math.HO
Students having had a semester course in abstract algebra are exposed to the elegant way in which finite group theory leads to proofs of familiar facts in elementary number theory. In this note we offer two examples of such group theoretical proofs using the action of a group on a set. The first is Fermat's little theo...
math
1,582
Counting the Positive Rationals: A Brief Survey
math.HO
We discuss some examples that illustrate the countability of the positive rational numbers and related sets. Techniques include radix representations, Godel numbering, the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, continued fractions, Egyptian fractions, and the sequence of ratios of successive hyperbinary representation numb...
math
1,583
Asymptotic behaviour of Turing Machines
math.HO
This paper has been withdrawn. See published paper http://arxiv.org/math.HO/0512390
math
1,584
Asymptotic behavior and halting probability of Turing Machines
math.HO
Through a straightforward Bayesian approach we show that under some general conditions a maximum running time, namely the number of discrete steps performed by a computer program during its execution, can be defined such that the probability that such a program will halt after that time is smaller than any arbitrary fi...
math
1,585
How to axiomatize school geometry
math.HO
This is an attempt to present axioms for Euclidean geometry, aiming at the following goals: to work with geometric notions (thus not merely identify points with pairs of numbers, giving a special status to a particular coordinate system); to be appropriate to the way geometry is done in science and engineering - not to...
math
1,586
Zeno's Paradoxes. A Cardinal Problem 1. On Zenonian Plurality
math.HO
In this paper the claim that Zeno's paradoxes have been solved is contested. Although no one has ever touched Zeno without refuting him (Whitehead), it will be our aim to show that, whatever it was that was refuted, it was certainly not Zeno. The paper is organised in two parts. In the first part we will demonstrate th...
math
1,587
Good reduction, bad reduction
math.HO
We give some general properties of good and bad reduction, and some recent examples (worked out with Dipendra Prasad) of varieties having bad reduction not accounted for by their cohomology. We include some consequences of our remarks for varieties over number fields having good reduction everywhere.
math
1,588
The Tao of Mathematics, and Think Locally
math.HO
An informal discussion of Serre's conjecture on the modularity of odd irreducible representations of Gal(\bar Q|Q) into GL_2(\bar F_p), using Ramanujan's tau-function as an illustrative example. Also, a word about the importance of thinking locally.
math
1,589
Numbers and periods
math.HO
A somewhat pretentious presentation of number systems (N, Z, Q, R, C, Q_p, >...). The problem of a p-adic characterisation of good-reduction p-adic curves is posed.
math
1,590
Variations on an inequality from IMO'2001
math.HO
Some extensions of an inequality from IMO'2001 are proven by means of the Lagrange multiplier criterion.
math
1,591
On projective two-dimensional Finsler spaces with special metric
math.HO
We present the English translation of the paper where one special class of Finsler spaces was introduced. Now this class is known as so called "Kropina spaces". The article was written in 1958 and published in Russian in "Trudy seminara po vektornomu i tenzornomu analizu" ("Workshops of the Seminar in vector and tensor...
math
1,592
Lanchester combat models
math.HO
An overview of Lanchester combat models, emphasising their pedagogical possibilities. After a description of the aimed-fire model and comments on the literature, we introduce briefly a range of further topics: a discrete equivalent, the unaimed-fire model, mixed forces, the meaning of a 'unit', support troops, Bracken'...
math
1,593
Origin of the numerals
math.HO
Through the pagination of an Arabian Algerian manuscript of the beginning of the 19th century, we rediscover the original shape, the "Ghubari" shape, of the numerals. Contrary to some assumptions, particularly those which claim that they are derived from Indian characters, this "Ghubari" shape, whose use has completely...
math
1,594
Max Dehn, un mathématicien aux préoccupations universelles
math.HO
This is a free summary of a much longer article published in german in "Forschung Frankfurt". This article presents facts concerning the works of Max Dehn and the history of Frankfurt University. E. Hellinger, R. Moufang, C. L. Siegel, A. Weil, P. Epstein, W. Hartner are named among others. Of course these texts are ...
math
1,595
The History of Barbilian's Metrization Procedure
math.HO
Barbilian spaces are metric spaces with a metric induced by a special procedure of metrization which is inspired by the study of the models of non-Euclidean geometry. In the present material we discuss the history of Barbilian spaces and the evolution of the theory. We point out that some of the current references to t...
math
1,596
Euler and magic squares (De quadratis magicis)
math.HO
Magic squares have always been and are still fascinating for many people, be it only because of their mathematical properties. Their origin is still but certain : we find no magic squares in Greece, and only a 3x3 one in China at the beginning of our era. Most of their development was made in islamic countries. In Euro...
math
1,597
The prime analog of the Kepler-Bouwkamp constant
math.HO
The prime analog of the Kepler-Bouwkamp constant is evaluated.
math
1,598
The regularized product of the Fibonacci numbers
math.HO
The regularized product of the Fibonacci numbers is evaluated.
math
1,599
A geometric method to compute some elementary integrals
math.HO
An elementary, albeit higher dimensional, argument is used to compute the area under the power function curve between 0 and 1.
math