All Questions
2,597 questions
8
votes
1
answer
362
views
Any two bivariate algebraically dependent polynomials are always in the same ring generated by some bivariate polynomial?
If $f(x,y)$ and $g(x,y)$ are two algebraically dependent polynomials over some field $k$, is it true that there exists a bivariate polynomial $p(x,y)$ such that both $f(x,y)$ and $g(x,y)$ are in the ...
- 201
5
votes
1
answer
243
views
Terminology for a monoid $H$ s.t. $xy \in H^\times$ only if $x, y \in H^\times$
The title has it all. Is there any consolidated terminology for referring to a (multiplicative) monoid $H$ such that $xy \in H^\times$ (if and) only if $x, y \in H^\times$? Here is a short list of ...
- 10.5k
5
votes
1
answer
499
views
Hausdorff dimension of the graph of a BV function
Let $u: \Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^N \to \mathbb{R}^M$ be a $BV$ function.
Is the Hausdorff dimension of the graph of $u$ equal to $N$? How can we prove it?
Update.
In an answer to this post, it ...
- 839
71
votes
16
answers
21k
views
Is there a nice application of category theory to functional/complex/harmonic analysis?
[Title changed, and wording of question tweaked, by YC, because the original title asked a question which seems different from the one people want to answer.]
I've read looked at the examples in most ...
60
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Probability that a stick randomly broken in five places can form a tetrahedron
Edit (June 2015): Addressing this problem is a brief project report from the Illinois Geometry Lab (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), dated May 2015, that appears here along with a foot-...
- 7,831
56
votes
6
answers
7k
views
Is the Mendeleev table explained in quantum mechanics?
Does anybody know if there exists a mathematical explanation of the Mendeleev table in quantum mechanics? In some textbooks (for example in "F.A.Berezin, M.A.Shubin. The Schrödinger Equation") the ...
- 7,426
52
votes
8
answers
28k
views
Roadmap for studying arithmetic geometry
I have read Hartshorne's Algebraic Geometry from chapter 1 to chapter 4, so I'd like to find some suggestions about the next step to study arithmetic geometry.
I want to know how to use scheme ...
41
votes
6
answers
4k
views
Measures of non-abelian-ness
Let $G$ be a finite non-abelian group of $n$ elements.
I would like a measure that intuitively captures the
extent to which $G$ is non-commutative.
One easy measure is a count of the non-commutative ...
- 151k
40
votes
11
answers
12k
views
Contemporary philosophy of mathematics
Starting to write an introduction to the philosophy of mathematics, I find tons of positions that are of historical interest. Which philosophical positions are explicitly considered these days, say in ...
34
votes
6
answers
8k
views
Covering a unit ball with balls half the radius
This is a direct (and obvious) generalization of the recent MO question, "Covering disks with smaller disks":
How many balls of radius $\frac{1}{2}$ are needed to cover completely a ball of ...
- 151k
28
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Summation methods for divergent series
There are many methods for assigning a value to a series that diverges, e.g. zeta function regularization, Abel summation, Cesaro summation, etc. From all of the examples I've found, two methods ...
- 3,244
27
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Kasteleyn's formula for domino tilings generalized?
It seems a marvel when a bunch of irrational numbers "conspire" to become rational, even better an integer. An elementary example is $\prod_{j=1}^n4\cos^2\left(\pi j/(2n+1)\right)=1$.
Kasteleyn's ...
- 43.2k
26
votes
5
answers
8k
views
Proof that no differentiable space-filling curve exists
Could someone provide a reference or a sketch of a proof that no differentiable space-filling curve exists?
Or piecewise differentiable?
Must every continuous space-filling curve be nowhere ...
- 151k
26
votes
7
answers
6k
views
What "forces" us to accept large cardinal axioms?
Large cardinal axioms are not provable using usual mathematical tools (developed in $\text{ZFC}$).
Their non-existence is consistent with axioms of usual mathematics.
It is provable that some of ...
user47697
25
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Functional approach vs jet approach to Lagrangian field theory
Context: I am a PhD student in theoretical physics with higher-than-average education on differential geometry. I am trying to understand Lagrangian and Hamiltonian field theories and related concepts ...
- 2,792
24
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Integer-distance sets
Let $S$ be a set of points in $\mathbb{R}^d$; I am especially interested in $d=2$.
Say that $S$ is an integer-distance set if every pair of points in $S$ is separated
by an integer Euclidean distance.
...
- 151k
23
votes
2
answers
3k
views
States in C*-algebras and their origin in physics?
in $C^*-$algebras with unit element, there is the definition of a state, as a functional $\omega$ with $\omega(e)=||\omega||=1.$
Now, of course there is also in classical physics and quantum ...
- 243
19
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Cyclotomic polynomials: $\Phi_n(p)$ is like $p^{\phi(n)}$ for big enough $p$, right?
Apologies in advance if this turns out to be simple. So far I haven't found a proof or a reference.
Although I like $p$ to be a prime, I can ask the following for positive integers $n$ and $p$, ...
- 3,209
18
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Points on a sphere
Wonder whether any of you know where it was that the following pearl of topology first appeared:
Prove that at any instant of time you can find three isothermal points on the surface of the Earth ...
- 8,842
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Reference for "lax monoidal functors" = "monoids under Day convolution"
Suppose $A$ and $C$ two symmetric monoidal categories. Let's say that $A$ is small and $C$ is locally presentable, and let's assume also that the tensor product on $C$ preserves colimits separately in ...
- 4,909
17
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Jets of sections of vector bundles expressed by symmetrized iterated covariant derivatives - who did it first?
The (non-unique) bundle isomorphism between the bundle $J^r E$ of $r$-th order jets of sections of a vector bundle $\pi:E\rightarrow M$ and the direct sum $$\bigoplus^r_{k=0}\vee^kT^*M\otimes E\...
- 7,817
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Good introductory references on moduli (stacks), for arithmetic objects
I've studied some fundation of algebraic geometry, such as Hartshorne's "Algebraic Geometry", Liu's "Algebraic Geometry and Arithmetic Curves", Silverman's "The Arithmetic of Elliptic Curves", and ...
- 1,364
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Dirichlet series expansion of an analytic function
Let $F(s)=\sum_{n\geq 1}\frac{a_n}{n^s}$ be a Dirichlet series with (finite) abscissa of absolute convergence $\sigma_a$. It can be shown that $\forall \sigma >\sigma_a:$
$$\lim_{T\to\infty}\frac{1}...
- 7,127
15
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Linking topological spheres
Is there a simple proof of the fact that:
If $A\subset S^3$ is homeomorphic to $S^1$, then there is a circle $B$
embedded into $S^3\setminus A$ that such that the circles $A$ and $B$
are ...
- 28k
14
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Partitions-sum of divisors identity
A few years ago I first read about the marvelous Euler identity:
$\sum_{n\in\mathbb{N}}p(n)z^n=\prod_{k\geq1}\frac{1}{1-z^k}$,
where $p(n)$ is the number of partitions of $n$ ($p(0)=1$ by convention)...
- 2,479
13
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Is the map on étale fundamental groups of a quasi-projective variety, upon base change between algebraically closed fields, an isomorphism?
$\DeclareMathOperator\Spec{Spec}$Let $k \subset L$ be two algebraically closed fields of characteristic $0$. Let $U \subset \mathbb P^n_k$ be a smooth quasi-projective variety and let $U_L$ denote the ...
- 1,308
12
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Uniform boundedness of an $L^2[0,1]$-ONB in $C[0,1]$
Assume that we have an orthonormal basis of smooth functions in $L^2[0,1]$. Are there useful practical criteria to determine whether the sup-norm of the basis functions has a uniform bound? I am sure ...
- 4,729
12
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Subset of the plane that intersects every line exactly twice
In a comment to this question, Tim Gowers remarked that using the axiom of choice, one can show that there exists a subset of the plane that intersects every line exactly twice (although it has yet to ...
- 32.1k
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Obtaining non-normal varieties by pushout
In his answer to this MO question, Karl Schwede claimed that every non-normal variety can be obtained by an appropriate pushout diagram, as sketched in that answer. This would give substance to the ...
- 23.3k
10
votes
1
answer
731
views
What is known about sums of the form $\sum_{n=2}^{\infty}[\zeta(n)-1]^{p} $?
A fair bit is known about rational zeta series. This includes identities like $$ \sum_{n=2}^{\infty} [\zeta(n) -1] = 1 . $$
Many more identities can be found in articles by e.g. Borwein and Adamchik &...
- 4,829
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Harmonic oscillator discrete spectrum
Let us act intentionally stupid and assume we do not know that we can solve for the spectrum of the harmonic oscillator
$$-\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+x^2$$
explicitly.
Is there an abstract argument why the ...
- 501
10
votes
2
answers
925
views
Isomorphisms between spaces of test functions and sequence spaces
I am in the process of writing some self-contained notes on probability theory in spaces of distributions, for the purposes of statistical mechanics and quantum field theory. Perhaps the simplest ...
9
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Reference request on birational invariance of Chow group of zero cycles of degree zero
Let $CH_0(X)^0$ denote the group of zero cycles of degree zero modulo rational equivalence.
I am looking for a reference for the following fact:
If $X$ and $Y$ are smooth and projective varieties ...
- 469
8
votes
1
answer
498
views
Loday's characterization and enumeration of faces of associahedra (Stasheff polytopes)
From "The multiple facets of the associahedra" by Loday:
Let us consider the formal power series
$$f(x) = x+a_1 x^2 +a_2 x^3 + \cdots+ a_n x^{n+1} + \cdots$$
and let
$$ g(x) = x+b_1 x^2 + ...
- 10.5k
8
votes
0
answers
258
views
Monadic second-order theories of the reals
I’m looking for a survey of monadic second-order theories of the reals.
I’m starting from a 1985 survey by Gurevich which says (p 505) that true arithmetic can be reduced to “the monadic theory of ...
user44143
7
votes
1
answer
443
views
Density of numbers whose prime factors belong to given arithmetic progressions
By a theorem of Landau, the number of integers $n\leq x$ whose prime divisors belong to only arithmetic progressions $a_1,\dots,a_r$ mod $q$, with $r\leq\varphi(q)$ and $a_i$ coprime to $q$ for each $...
- 3,799
5
votes
2
answers
321
views
If the Hausforff dimension of the graph of a function $u$ is $N$ and $\tilde u = u$ a.e. then $\dim_H \mathrm{graph} \, \tilde u = N$ too
Let $\Omega$ be an open (non empty) set and $u:\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^N \to \mathbb{R}^M$ be a function such that the Hausdorff dimension of its graph is $N$.
Let $\tilde u = u$ a.e. Is it true ...
- 839
5
votes
0
answers
647
views
Forcing with c.c.c forcing notions, Cohen reals and Random reals
I think the following question is due to Prikry:
Question. Is it consistent that any non-trivial c.c.c forcing notion adds a Cohen real or a Random real?
Is the question still open? What partial ...
- 32.1k
5
votes
2
answers
850
views
In search for a counterexample related to the Abel-Stolz theorem
Disclaimer: I posted this question seven days ago here on the Math.SE, with slightly different (however in an inessential way) comments. The question has been upvoted but no answer has been given, so ...
- 6,367
5
votes
3
answers
3k
views
The Lagrangian formulation of mechanics without going through variational principles.
In some texts on classical mechanics and not only, the Euler--Lagrange equations of motion are directly obtained as solution of variational problems.
On the other side, sometimes reading about ...
- 4,306
5
votes
1
answer
699
views
Can $L^1_{loc}$ be represented as colimit?
Let $L^1_{loc}$ denote the set of all functions from $\mathbb{R}$ to itself which are locally integrable. For every infinite compact subset $K\subseteq \mathbb{R}$, let $L^1_{m_K}$ denote the space ...
- 5,405
4
votes
2
answers
1k
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Reference request: Oldest linear algebra books with exercises?
Inspired by the recent success of my "soft question" here, I also have to ask, what are some of the oldest linear algebra books out there with exercises? I'm fine with or without solutions, either way....
4
votes
1
answer
597
views
Meaning of Alberti rank-one theorem
Heuristically what does Alberti's rank-one theorem imply about the structure of a $\mathrm{BV}$ vector field $\boldsymbol{b}$?
Is it rigorously fair to say that the level lines of $\boldsymbol{b}$ ...
user123457
2
votes
1
answer
515
views
On comparing two almost injective divisor maps
Edit 2018.08.08 This answer https://mathoverflow.net/a/307881 will be updated to give recent information about S, especially a forthcoming preprint. End Edit 2018.08.08
In an introductory post on ...
- 13k
2
votes
0
answers
187
views
Role of absolute continuity of divergence of BV function in proof of renormalization property
In the paper http://cvgmt.sns.it/paper/436/, the author proves the renormalization property for the flow generated by a vector field $a(t,\cdot) \in BV(\mathbb{R}^N; \mathbb{R}^N)$.
Heuristically, ...
- 839
122
votes
7
answers
15k
views
Topology and the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
I was very happy to learn that the work which led to the award of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics (shared between David J. Thouless, F. Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz) uses Topology. In ...
113
votes
11
answers
18k
views
On mathematical arguments against Quantum computing
Quantum computing is a very active and rapidly expanding field of research. Many companies and research institutes are spending a lot on this futuristic and potentially game-changing technology. Some ...
101
votes
31
answers
29k
views
Errata for Atiyah–Macdonald
Is there a good list of errata for Atiyah–Macdonald available? A cursory Google search reveals a laughably short list here, with just a few typos. Is there any source available online which lists ...
79
votes
9
answers
14k
views
What is the significance of non-commutative geometry in mathematics?
This is a question that has been winding around my head for a long time and I have not found a convincing answer. The title says everything, but I am going to enrich my question by little more ...
- 1,661
71
votes
8
answers
12k
views
Possible new series for $\pi$
In a recent (unfortunately over-hyped) preprint by Saha and Sinha, Field theory expansions of string theory amplitudes (arXiv:2401.05733), they present the following series for $\pi$:
$$\pi = 4 + \...
- 82.7k