All Questions
1,778 questions
18
votes
0
answers
584
views
Human Knot game [duplicate]
In the popular game "Human Knot", a group of people stands in a circle and each person grabs another person's hands at random (one with the left hand and one with the right hand). The goal is to ...
- 2,449
18
votes
1
answer
452
views
Is defining measures as functionals ever insufficiently general in practice?
Crossposting from Math Stack Exchange, as it has yet to receive any answers there; the original question is here.
The way I learned measures was as set functions on a $\sigma$-algebra with certain ...
- 183
18
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What are the right categories of finite-dimensional Banach spaces?
This is inspired partly by this question, especially Tom Leinster's answer.
Let me start with some background. I apologize that this will be rather long, since I'm hoping for input from people who ...
- 11.4k
17
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How much does the absolute value of an operator behave like an absolute value?
Recall that the absolute value of a bounded operator $T$ on a Hilbert space $H$ is the unique positive operator $|T|$ such that $$\||T|x\|=\|Tx\|$$ for all $x\in H$. It can be defined using the ...
- 3,115
17
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is measure preserving function almost surjective?
Let $F:[0,1]\to[0,1]$ be a Lebesgue measure preserving function. Is $F$ almost surjective, i.e., the image of $F$ has interior measure one?
This question is motivated by the following observation. If ...
- 397
17
votes
1
answer
622
views
Longest of random worm-like paths in $\mathbb{Z}^2$
Imagine at each lattice point of $\mathbb{Z}^2$ within $[1,3n]^2$,
with coordinates
$\equiv 2 \bmod 3$,
we place, with equal probability, one of these six patterns:
The result ...
- 151k
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Can this probability be obtained by a combinatorial/symmetry argument?
Suppose that $a_1,\dots,a_n,b_1,\dots,b_n$ are iid random variables each with a symmetric non-atomic distribution.
Let $p$ denote the probability that there is some real $t$ such that $t a_i \ge b_i$ ...
- 128k
17
votes
1
answer
10k
views
Conjugate prior of the Dirichlet distribution?
What is the conjugate prior distribution of the Dirichlet distribution?
Edit: Since I asked this question many years ago, I've written a Python library for working with exponential families. Maximum ...
- 598
17
votes
5
answers
7k
views
A counter example to Hahn-Banach separation theorem of convex sets.
I'm trying to understand the necessity for the assumption in the Hahn-Banach theorem for one of the convex sets to have an interior point. The other way I've seen the theorem stated, one set is closed ...
- 2,641
17
votes
1
answer
912
views
$(1+\epsilon)$-injective Banach spaces, complex scalars
It is well known that a real Banach space which is $(1+\epsilon)$-injective for every $\epsilon >0$ is already 1-injective (Lindenstrauss Memoirs AMS, 1964, download here). Using common ...
- 1,704
17
votes
3
answers
736
views
Probability that a word in the free group becomes (much) shorter?
Let $w$ be a word of length $2\ell$ chosen at random on the alphabet $\{x_1,x_1^{-1},x_2,x_2^{-1},\dotsc,x_k,x_k^{-1}\}$. By the reduction $\rho(w)$ I mean what you obtain by deleting substrings of ...
- 20.2k
17
votes
1
answer
910
views
Randomly switching street lights, in a square city
This is a combinatorics-probability question, best stated however in "recreational" terms. Imagine a $N\times N$ city, meaning that we have $N$ horizontal streets, and $N$ vertical streets. At each ...
- 1,363
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Which Fréchet manifolds have a smooth partition of unity?
A classical theorem is saying that every smooth, finite-dimensional manifold has a smooth partition of unity. My question is:
Which Fréchet manifolds have a smooth partition of unity?
How is the ...
- 4,519
17
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Brownian motion and spheres
Consider a Brownian motion on $[0;1]$. A (finite) discrete approximation of this Brownian motion consists of $N$ iid Gaussian random variables $\Delta W_i$ of variance $\frac{1}{N}$:
$$ W\left(\frac{k}...
- 2,133
16
votes
3
answers
1k
views
A natural center of a convex weakly compact set in Banach space
Question: Let $S$ be a convex weakly compact set in Banach space $H$. Propose a natural way to define the unique center $O \in S$.
Motivation: A lot! For example, in game theory $S$ can be a set of ...
- 161
16
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Finding closed subspaces whose sum isn't closed
Let $V_0$ be a closed infinite-dimensional subspace of a Banach space $V$ such that the quotient $V/V_0$ is also infinite-dimensional. Is it always possible to find a closed subspace of $V$ whose sum ...
- 42.8k
16
votes
1
answer
526
views
Equivariant Fredholm operators classify equivariant K-theory
Let $\mathcal{F}$ be the space of Fredholm operators on a separable Hilbert space $H$ with the topology induced by the operator norm.
If $X$ is compact,
Atiyah-Jänich proved that
$$[X,\mathcal{F}]\...
- 673
16
votes
1
answer
929
views
A simple stochastic game
An individual, henceforth called the runner starts at the center of an open two dimensional square $\Omega$ of side length $r \geq 2$.
At each turn, a vector $x \in S^1$ is chosen uniformly at random, ...
- 6,215
16
votes
3
answers
2k
views
A random walk on random lines
I am wondering if this random walk remains finite with positive probability.
Start with three lines $A,B,C$ that are extensions of an equilateral triangle.
Let $p_0$ be one corner. Generate a line $...
- 151k
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Kaplansky's conjecture and Martin's axiom
Recall Kaplansky's conjecture which states that every algebra homomorphism from the Banach algebra C(X) (where X is a compact Hausdorff topological space) into any other Banach algebra, is ...
- 32.1k
16
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Continuity on a measure one set versus measure one set of points of continuity
In short: If $f$ is continuous on a measure one set, is there a function $g=f$ a.e. such that a.e. point is a point of continuity of $g$?
Now more carefully, with some notation: Suppose $(X, d_X)$ ...
- 2,221
16
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Optimal pebble-packing shape
Suppose you throw many ($n$) congruent convex bodies (in $\mathbb{R}^3$) of unit volume (or of unit area in $\mathbb{R}^2$) into a large container, and shake it until little else changes.
Q. ...
- 151k
16
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Random Diophantine polynomials: Percent solvable?
Suppose one generates a random polynomial
of degree $d$ with integer coefficients
uniformly distributed within $[-c_\max,c_\max]$.
For example, for
$d=8$, $|c_\max|=100$, here is one random polynomial:...
- 151k
16
votes
2
answers
996
views
Perturbation of unbounded self-adjoint operators
In the paper "A CRITERION FOR THE NORMALITY OF UNBOUNDED OPERATORS AND APPLICATIONS TO SELF-ADJOINTNESS" by M. H MORTAD (http://arxiv.org/pdf/1301.0241.pdf), the author states the following theorem
...
- 163
16
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Solving a modified birthday problem at a glance
Modified Birthday Problem: a bunch of people line up, and the winner is the first person who shares their birthday with someone lined up ahead of them. What position in the line is optimal?
Three (...
- 7,831
16
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Integration of differential forms using measure theory?
Setup: Let $(M,g)$ be a (possibly non-compact) Riemannian manifold with volume density $d_gV$. Then one may think of $(M,g)$ as a measure space $(\Omega,\mathcal{A},\mu)$, where $\Omega:=M$, $\mathcal{...
- 408
15
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Is there a central limit theorem for bounded non identically distributed random variables?
I have a sequence of centered independent random variables $X_i$ that are all
bounded by one in absolute value. They are not identically distributed, though.
I would like to know if the central limit ...
15
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Painting $n$ balls from $2n$ balls red, and guessing which ball is red, game
The game
Lucy has $2n$ distinct white colored balls numbered $1$ through $2n$. Lucy picks $n$ different balls in any way Lucy likes, and paint them red. Lucy then giftwrap all the balls so that it is ...
- 215
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
self-avoidance time of random walk
How many steps on average does a simple random walk in the plane take before it visits a vertex it's visited before?
If an exact formula does not exist (as seems likely), then I'm interested in good ...
- 19.7k
15
votes
1
answer
889
views
Operator norms of circulant matrices
The definition and basic properties of circulant matrices can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulant_matrix.
For complex numbers $a_1,\ldots,a_n$, I will use the notation
$$
\mbox{...
- 717
15
votes
2
answers
810
views
Are extensions of nuclear Fréchet spaces nuclear?
Consider the category of Fréchet spaces, the morphisms being
continuous linear maps with closed image. Suppose that we
have a short exact sequence in that category:
$0 \rightarrow V_1 \rightarrow ...
- 261
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
In how many steps a random walk visits all the elements of a finite group, with a probability 1/2?
This question is a variation of the return to the origin problem.
Let $G$ be the finite group $\mathbb{Z}/n \times \mathbb{Z}/n$ and let the random transformation $T: G \to G$ such that $T(a,b) = (...
15
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Naive questions about "matrices" representing endomorphisms of Hilbert spaces.
This is a very basic question and might be way too easy for MO. I am learning analysis in a very backwards way. This is a question about complex Hilbert spaces but here's how I came to it: I have in ...
- 41.4k
15
votes
3
answers
13k
views
Maximum of two normal random variables
The main purpose of the following question is to get some intuition and deeper understanding why the presented method works which would hopefully help me in trying to adapt it to the setting I am ...
- 311
15
votes
0
answers
477
views
Expanding disks lead to what packing of the plane?
Suppose one sprinkles points uniformly at random on the infinite Euclidean plane,
with some density $\rho$ per unit area.
View the points as disks of radius zero.
Now the radii $r$ of all disks grows ...
- 151k
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Inductive tensor product and smooth functions
Given complete, locally convex Hausdorff vector spaces $E$ and $F$, let
$$ E \otimes_i F, \qquad E \otimes_\pi F$$ denote the (completed) inductive and projective tensor products respectively. The ...
- 235
15
votes
0
answers
749
views
Prove $\int_{0}^{\infty} \cos(\omega x) \exp(-x^{\alpha}) \, {\rm d} x \ge {\alpha^2 \sqrt{\pi} \over 8} \exp \left( -\frac{\omega^2}{4} \right)$
I would like to prove that
$$\int_{0}^{\infty} \cos(\omega x) \exp(-x^{\alpha}) \, {\rm d} x \ge
{\alpha^2 \sqrt{\pi} \over 8} \exp \left( -\frac{\omega^2}{4} \right)$$
for any $\omega > 0$ and $...
- 178
15
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Disintegrations are measurable measures - when are they continuous?
This is a sequel to another question I have asked.
The notion of disintegration is a refinement of conditional probability to spaces which have more structure than abstract probability spaces; ...
- 8,512
15
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Is there a simple direct proof of the Open Mapping Theorem from the Uniform Boundedness Theorem?
The Open Mapping Theorem, the Bounded Inverse Theorem, and the Closed Graph Theorem are equivalent theorems in that any can be easily obtained from any other. The Closed Graph Theorem also easily ...
- 2,049
15
votes
2
answers
734
views
On sums of independent random variables in Banach spaces
Let $(\xi_n)_{n\ge 1}$, $(\eta_n)_{n\ge 1}$ be independent mean-zero random variables with values in a Banach space $X$ such that
$$\sum_n\mathbb P(\xi_n\in A)\le\sum_n\mathbb P(\eta_n\in A)$$for any ...
- 4,535
15
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Range of completely positive projection
Let $A$ be a C*-algebra. Suppose that $P:A \rightarrow A$ is a contractive completely positive projection. Does the range $P(A)$ is completely order isomorphic to a $C^*$-algebra?
In the case where ...
- 1,222
15
votes
6
answers
8k
views
Any sum of 2 dice with equal probability
The question is the following: Can one create two nonidentical loaded 6-sided dice such that when one throws with both dice and sums their values the probability of any sum (from 2 to 12) is the same. ...
- 261
15
votes
1
answer
660
views
Which limit to take as a key applied math decision
The Borel-Kolmogorov paradox refers to situations where non-uniqueness in the notion of conditioning on a set of measure zero leads to apparent contradictions. As a formal matter, one requires ...
15
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Probability that product is a perfect square
The probability a given integer in $[0,n]$ is a square is $\frac1{\sqrt n}$. What is the probability that if you take two integers uniformly then their product is square?
I know the main term is $\...
- 13.9k
15
votes
2
answers
5k
views
What areas of algebra could be interesting to probability theorists?
I would like to find some topic of algebra (beyond linear algebra; algebraic number theory is fine) that would be interesting both to a student that wants to specialize in probability theory and to me ...
- 16.9k
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Convolution algebras for double groupoids?
There is a lot of work of course on convolution algebras of measured groupoids, and this gives "Noncommutative geometry". However there is a lot of interest in algebraically structured groupoids, for ...
- 12.3k
15
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Can one do without Riesz Representation?
In more detail, can one establish that the continuous linear dual of a Hilbert space is again a Hilbert space without appealing to the Riesz Representation Theorem?
For me, the Riesz Representation ...
- 26.8k
15
votes
3
answers
8k
views
What is an isomorphism of Banach spaces?
The nLab page on Banach spaces (http://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/Banach%20space) was recently criticised as being, in effect, too heavily biased to category theory (not of the Baire kind) and not enough ...
- 26.8k
15
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Asymptotic expansion of $\sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{x^{2n+1}}{n!{\sqrt{n}} }$
I've been trying to find an asymptotic expansion of the following series
$$C(x) = \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{x^{2n+1}}{n!{\sqrt{n}} }$$
and
$$L(x) = \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{x^{2n+1}}{...
- 153
15
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Riesz's representation theorem for non-locally compact spaces
Every version of Riesz's representation theorem (the one expressing linear functionals as integrals) that I have found so far assumes that the underlying topological space is locally-compact. (For ...
- 5,407