Questions tagged [experimental-mathematics]
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29 questions
282
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47
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Examples of unexpected mathematical images
I try to generate a lot of examples in my research to get a better feel for what I am doing. Sometimes, I generate a plot, or a figure, that really surprises me, and makes my research take an ...
156
votes
52
answers
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Experimental mathematics leading to major advances
I would like to ask about examples where experimentation by computers has led to major mathematical advances.
A new look
Now as the question is five years old and there are certainly more examples of ...
92
votes
11
answers
15k
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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 ...
18
votes
3
answers
785
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Automated search for bijective proofs
In enumerative combinatorics, a bijective proof that $|A_n| = |B_n|$ (where $A_n$ and $B_n$ are finite sets of combinatorial objects of size $n$) is a proof that constructs an explicit bijection ...
- 82.7k
3
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0
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Growth functions of finite group - computation, typical behaviour, surveys?
Looking on the growth function for Rubik's group and symmetric group, one sees rather different behaviour:
Rubik's growth in LOG scale (see MO322877):
S_n n=9 growth and nice fit by normal ...
- 24.9k
76
votes
13
answers
9k
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What computational problems would be good proof-of-work problems for cryptocurrency mining?
What computational mathematics problems that could be used as proof-of-work problems for cryptocurrencies? To make this question easier to answer, I want proof-of-work systems that work in ...
37
votes
12
answers
3k
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Interesting conjectures "discovered" by computers and proved by humans?
There are notable examples of computers "proving" results discovered by mathematicians, what about the opposite:
Are there interesting conjectures "discovered" by computers and proved by humans?
...
18
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0
answers
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Distribution of digits of $pq$-adic idempotents (aka "automorphic numbers")
Let $p$ and $q$ be distinct primes. By the ring of $pq$-adic integers I mean the ring $\mathbb{Z}_{pq} := \varprojlim \mathbb{Z}/(pq)^n\mathbb{Z}$ which is obviously isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}_p \...
- 32.5k
12
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0
answers
605
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Power series defined by Witt vectors / Teichmüller representatives of p-adics
Let $K$ be $\mathbb{Q}_p$ for some prime $p$ (or more generally an unramified extension $W(\mathbb{F}_q)$ of $\mathbb{Q}_p$). If $\xi \in K$, we can write it in a unique way in the form $\sum a_i p^i$...
- 32.5k
115
votes
3
answers
5k
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The number $\pi$ and summation by $SL(2,\mathbb Z)$
Let $f(a,b,c,d)=\sqrt{a^2+b^2}+\sqrt{c^2+d^2}-\sqrt{(a+c)^2+(b+d)^2}$. (it is the defect in the triangle inequality)
Then, we discovered by heuristic arguments and then verified by computer that
$$\...
- 5,063
72
votes
13
answers
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The use of computers leading to major mathematical advances II
I would like to ask about recent examples, mainly after 2015, where experimentation by computers or other use of computers has led to major mathematical advances.
This is a continuation of a question ...
53
votes
1
answer
9k
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What mathematical problems can be attacked using DeepMind's recent mathematical breakthroughs?
I am a research mathematician at a university in the United States. My training is in pure mathematics (geometry). However, for the past couple of months, I have been supervising some computer science ...
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43
votes
7
answers
4k
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Can pure mathematics harness citizen science?
Having just finished Michael Nielsen's book "Reinventing Discovery", I find myself wondering if there are ways that pure mathematics research can engage the public in the way that GalaxyZoo or Foldit ...
28
votes
1
answer
2k
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Conjectures inspired by AI
Today in Nature a paper described how AI guided mathematicians to make highly non-trivial conjectures, which they managed to prove, one in Knot Theory involving a new invariant, the other in ...
25
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3
answers
2k
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Persistent homology of Gaussian fields in Euclidean space
If you generate points in $\mathbb R^n$ via a process that respects a Gaussian normal distribution, then compute the persistent homology / barcodes, to my eye something fairly regular seems to be ...
- 44.4k
19
votes
6
answers
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Which journals publish experimental results in pure maths?
All pure mathematicians know that the goal is to produce insight, rather than to simply obtain results. However, it might sometimes be of value to disseminate largely empirical work. In the same ...
18
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8
answers
1k
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Conceptual insights and inspirations from experimental and computational mathematics [duplicate]
I am interested in whether experiments on computers can help identifying new ideas or concepts in Mathematics. I am not talking about confirming particular conjectures up to certain numbers (for ...
15
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3
answers
1k
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Does anyone remember what happened to the experimental search for polynomial identities for $\pi$?
So a while back I was on the internet and had encountered a website containing an experimental search for identities for $\pi$. My memory was that the page belonged to either Jonathan Sondow or ...
- 2,689
13
votes
1
answer
1k
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Connection between Infinite continued fractions, elliptic integrals and AGM
It is known that at $x=1$, the following continued fraction represents $\frac{4}{\pi}$ and can be approximated rapidly using Gauss' Arithmetic Geometric mean.
$$C(x) = x + \frac{1^{2}}{2x + \frac{3^{...
- 13.9k
9
votes
3
answers
2k
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May $p^3$ divide $(a+b)^p-a^p-b^p$?
Do there exist positive integers $a,b$ and a prime $p>\max(a,b)$ such that $p^3$ divides $(a+b)^p-a^p-b^p$?
The reader of Kvant magazine A. T. Kurgansky asked to prove that such $a,b,p$ do not ...
- 109k
6
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1
answer
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$\pi$ in terms of polygamma
The computer found this, but couldn't prove it.
Let $\psi(n,x)$ denote the polygamma function.
With precision 500 decimal digits we have:
$$ \pi^2 = \frac{1}{4}(15 \psi(1, \frac13) - 3 \psi(1, \...
- 25.4k
5
votes
1
answer
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Gadgets as primality tests
From the literature, showed below, I know two gadgets that provide a way to know if a positive integer (a positive quantity of units) is composite or a prime number. I would like to know if in the ...
3
votes
1
answer
535
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abc-conjecture and positive definite kernels, again?
One formulation of the abc-conjecture is:
$$\forall a,b \in \mathbb{N}: \frac{a+b}{\gcd(a,b)}< \operatorname{rad}\left ( \frac{ab(a+b)}{\gcd(a,b)^3}\right )^2 $$
Let us define:
$$K(a,b) := \frac{2(...
- 3,144
3
votes
1
answer
163
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Increasing sequences and Wieferich primes
We are trying to show that primes of the form $a(n)$ can't be
Wieferich primes.
For natural $n$ define $J(n)=(2^{n-1}-1) \bmod n^2$
and if $n$ is power of two define $J(2^n)=1$ (this is artificial, ...
- 25.4k
3
votes
1
answer
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$\psi(2,1/6),\psi(4,1/6)$ in terms of zeta and pi only and another closed form for zeta
Let $\psi(n,x)$ denote the polygamma function.
In this answer Lucia gave linear relations for $\psi(m,1/3),\psi(m,1/6),\zeta(m+1)$.
The computer managed to find closed form for $\psi(2,1/6)$ and $\...
- 25.4k
2
votes
0
answers
266
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Experimentation with partial Euler products
Richard Mathar $[1]\& [2]$ shows that
\begin{align}
&\zeta_{2}(s)\equiv\prod_{\Omega(n)=2}^{}\left(\dfrac{1}{1 - n^{s}}\right)^{-1}=\exp \left(\sum _{k=1}^n \frac{P(k s)^2+P(2 k s)}{2 k}\right)...
- 1,903
2
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2
answers
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Expansion of inverse logarithmic integral in terms of lambert w
Cipolla and Césaro both gave expansions of $\operatorname{li}^{-1}$ in tems of nested $\log$ functions. I think it can be written in terms of the Lambert-W function in the form:
$\operatorname{li}^{-...
- 1,903
1
vote
1
answer
427
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When does this limiting ratio give a real root $x$ to the equation of the form $\sum\limits_{k=0}^d \frac{x^k a_{k+1}}{k!}=0$?
By searching the Inverse Symbolic Calculator, we appear to be able to make the following conjecture about a real root to the equation:
$$\sum\limits_{k=0}^d \frac{x^k a_{k+1}}{k!}=0 \tag{1}$$
Let the ...
- 1,183
1
vote
0
answers
376
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Astonishing affinity of Wolfram's rule 110 to the numbers 2 and 7
I investigated the evolution of a single black cell on 1-dimensional grids with periodic boundary conditions of variable sizes $N$ under Wolfram's rule 110 which is the only one for which Turing ...
- 9,720