Linked Questions
47 questions linked to/from Not especially famous, long-open problems which anyone can understand
184
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63
answers
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Examples of eventual counterexamples
Define an "eventual counterexample" to be
$P(a) = T $ for $a < n$
$P(n) = F$
$n$ is sufficiently large for $P(a) = T\ \ \forall a \in \mathbb{N}$ to be a 'reasonable' conjecture to ...
- 11.9k
64
votes
6
answers
5k
views
Shortest closed curve to inspect a sphere
Let $S$ be a sphere in $\mathbb{R}^3$. Let $C$ be a closed curve in $\mathbb{R}^3$ disjoint from and
exterior to $S$
which has the property that every point $x$ on $S$ is visible to some point $y$ of $...
- 7,047
91
votes
11
answers
14k
views
What are possible applications of deep learning to research mathematics?
With no doubt everyone here has heard of deep learning, even if they don't know what it is or what it is good for. I myself am a former mathematician turned data scientist who is quite interested in ...
CommunityBot
- 1
37
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Converse of the Archimedean property of the sphere
In his remarkable book On the Sphere and Cylinder, where he came tantalizingly close to discovering calculus, Archimedes showed that the area of the portion of the sphere contained between a pair of ...
- 11.4k
213
votes
0
answers
16k
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Why do polynomials with coefficients $0,1$ like to have only factors with $0,1$ coefficients?
Conjecture. Let $P(x),Q(x) \in \mathbb{R}[x]$ be two monic polynomials with non-negative coefficients. If $R(x)=P(x)Q(x)$ is $0,1$ polynomial (coefficients only from $\{0,1\}$), then $P(x)$ and $Q(x)$ ...
- 141
19
votes
7
answers
4k
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Do empirical studies have a place in contemporary mathematics research?
I was thinking about the Collatz conjecture a while back (I know, not the healthiest thing to think about). It occurred to me that while I might not be able to prove it true for all positive integers, ...
- 11.2k
26
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Singmaster's conjecture
Has any work been done on Singmaster's conjecture since Singmaster's work?
The conjecture says there is a finite upper bound on how many times a number other than 1 can occur as a binomial ...
- 2,143
57
votes
8
answers
6k
views
Two (probably) equal real numbers which are not proved to be equal?
Can someone give me a nice example of two computable real numbers which are believed but not proved to be equal?
I never really understood the assertion that "the reals do not have decidable equality"...
- 78.3k
166
votes
3
answers
39k
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Convergence of $\sum(n^3\sin^2n)^{-1}$
I saw a while ago in a book by Clifford Pickover, that whether the Flint Hills series $\displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac1{n^3\sin^2 n}$ converges is open.
I would think that the question of its ...
- 247
18
votes
0
answers
979
views
"Special" meanders
One of the open problems in combinatorics is enumeration of meanders.
Here on MO I only could find them under the heading not-especially-famous-long-open-problems-which-anyone-can-understand.
Since my ...
- 4,618
35
votes
62
answers
21k
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What's your favorite equation, formula, identity or inequality? [closed]
Certain formulas I really enjoy looking at like the Euler-Maclaurin formula or the Leibniz integral rule. What's your favorite equation, formula, identity or inequality?
- 4,618
21
votes
1
answer
1k
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Is there any non-commutative ring such that every element other than the identity is a zero divisor?
A (unital) ring $R$ with the property that every element other than the identity $1_R$ is a (two-sided) zero divisor, seems to be commonly called a "$0$-ring" or "$\mathcal O$-ring"...
- 415
96
votes
7
answers
19k
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Can we cover the unit square by these rectangles?
The following question was a research exercise (i.e. an open problem) in R. Graham, D.E. Knuth, and O. Patashnik, "Concrete Mathematics", 1988, chapter 1.
It is easy to show that
$$\sum_{1 \...
- 2,743
43
votes
12
answers
2k
views
Can a discrete set of the plane of uniform density intersect all large triangles?
Let S be a discrete subset of the Euclidean plane such that the number of points in a large disc is approximately equal to the area of the disc. Does the complement of S necessarily contain triangles ...
- 1,446
11
votes
1
answer
688
views
Schoenberg's rational polygon problem
"A polygon is said to be rational if all its sides and diagonals are rational, and I. J. Schoenberg has posed the difficult question, ‘Can any given polygon be approximated as closely as we like by a ...
- 60.2k