Archive for Favorites

DW. The Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences!

Neil Sloane of ATT Labs shares some his favorite integer sequences from his online encyclopedia!

Recaman’s Sequence is especially perplexing! Sloane asks: does every number eventually appear?

(No one yet knows the answer!)

 
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DU. Chaos at the Card Table

Mathematics writer Barry Cipra shows us Tag Deal, a simple but perplexing puzzle with cards.

 
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DR. Double Bubble

Frank Morgan of Williams College asks “What is the shape of a double bubble?”

 
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photo: Jeff Bauer

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DN. Ed Burger’s Trouser Puzzle

Prof Ed Burger of Williams College discusses the mathematics of proofs and puzzles, and a problem with his pants.

 
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DJ. Pegg on Numb3rs

We catch Ed Pegg, puzzler extraordinaire , as he is going over a script for the TV show Numb3rs.

 
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DE. The Apples In Stereo

Robert Schneider, of The Apples In Stereo discusses his logarithmic tonal system and why he loves mathematics.

 
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CQ. Dollar Auction

Bill Poundstone, author of The Prisoner’s Dilemma, tells us some game theory lore, how to model an arms race, and lessons for the good life.

 
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CN. Name That Date

 
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John. H. Conway, one of the young men pictured above, tells us about his fabulous and simple method for rapidly calculating the day of the week.

With just a little practice, you too can Impress your friends (or drive them away) with this stupendous ability!

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CH. Rayo’s Number!

A contestant for our Million-Dollar-Give-Away sent in Rayo’s Number, hitherto the largest number ever used for any real purpose: to wit, winning the

LARGE NUMBER CHAMPIONSHIP

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Check out the article by Scot Aaronson that inspired them to duke it out! And this thread on the math forum is quite interesting as well.

 
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CD. Alas, Up To A Million Dollars Might Have Been Given Away.

We discuss the results of the fabulous Math Factor Million Dollar Giveaway. and confess this was an excuse to bring up Game Theory and how to talk about really big numbers.

 
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The Math Factor
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Quality Math Talk Since 2004

May 5, 2008: Spring is beautiful here in the Ozarks and we are excited about all the terrific interviews we have slated for the next few weeks!

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