All Questions
719 questions
6
votes
1
answer
469
views
Cutting the unit square into pieces with rational length sides
The following questions seem related to the still open question whether there is a point(s) whose distances from the 4 corners of a unit square are all rational.
To cut a unit square into n (a finite ...
- 5,979
5
votes
1
answer
183
views
Which Banach spaces are absolute Lipschitz extensors for compacta?
A metric space $X$ is defined to be an absolute Lipschitz extensor for compacta if each Lipschitz map $f:K\to K$ defined on a compact subset $K\subset X$ extends to a Lipschitz map $\bar f: X\to X$.
...
- 41.8k
5
votes
1
answer
183
views
Maximal regions with given diameter
Let us call a bounded region $D$ in the plane maximal if the conditions $D\subset D'$ and
$\mathrm{diam} D'=\mathrm{diam} D$ imply $D'=D$.
Is it possible to describe all maximal regions?
The only ...
- 91.8k
5
votes
1
answer
433
views
Golden ratio as a property of conic section (is it known?)
I am looking for a proof of a discovery as follows:
Let $ABC$ be arbitrary triangle and $(\Omega)$ be an arbitrary circumconic of $ABC$ let $A'B'C'$ is its tangential triangle of $ABC$ respect to $(\...
- 1,776
5
votes
1
answer
156
views
On folding a polygonal sheet
Consider a polygonal sheet $P$ of area $A$ with $N$ vertices (it material is not stretchable or tearable). Let $n$ be a positive integer >=2.
Question: Let $P$ lie on a flat plane. We need to fold ...
- 5,979
5
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Algorithm for the intersection of a vector subspace with a cone of non-negative vectors
Hi,
I would like to know whether there is some more effective way of how to compute an intersection of a vector subspace of $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ with a cone of vectors with non-negative entries than the ...
5
votes
0
answers
342
views
$N$-$th$ closed chain of six circles
Since 2013, I found a very nice configuration: $N$-th closed chain of six circles. This is a generalization of theorem 1, problem 2 in here and theorem 2 in here and here (and is also generalization ...
- 1,776
4
votes
0
answers
144
views
Is the orthocenter "(roughly) equationally finitely-based"?
Let $T$ be the "almost everywhere" equational theory of the orthocenter function, "tweaked appropriately" to avoid partiality issues (see this earlier question of mine for details)....
- 21.2k
4
votes
1
answer
215
views
On two centers of convex regions
Definition: A line segment with both end points on the boundary of a planar convex region $C$ is called a chord of $C$.
Consider any point $P$ within a given planar convex region $C$. From among all ...
- 5,979
4
votes
1
answer
3k
views
optimization of inverse matrix with constraint on matrix elements
everyone! I have this optimization problem with constraint.
$D$ and $T$ are symmetric matrices, where T is known and D is the unknown parameter.
$x$ and $v$ are two known p-dimensional vectors.
The ...
- 49
4
votes
1
answer
387
views
Reference request: Oldest (non-analytic) geometry books with (unsolved) exercises?
Per the title, what are some of the oldest (non-analytic) geometry books out there with (unsolved) exercises? Maybe there are some hidden gems from before the 20th century out there.
4
votes
1
answer
8k
views
Detection of Redundant Constraints
Suppose I pose the following query to a constraint logic programming
system:
?- Y <= 6 - X, Y <= (- 4) + 4 * X, Y <= 4 + X / 3.
Are there systems that would recognize the last inequality as
...
Countably Infinite
4
votes
0
answers
114
views
Find at least one square-boxed subcontinuum
Recall that a plane continuum is a closed, bounded,
connected subset of the plane.
It is non-degenerate if it contains at least two points.
(We may sometimes just say "continuum" even if
we ...
- 1,375
3
votes
1
answer
171
views
Criterion for visuality of hyperbolic spaces
I am trying to understand the following sentence on p. 156 of Buyalo-Schroeder, Elements of asymptotic geometry: "Every cobounded, hyperbolic, proper, geodesic space is certainly visual."
Let $X$ be ...
- 97
3
votes
1
answer
198
views
"Almost geodesics" in Riemannian manifolds which cannot be loops
Let $M,N$ be smooth Riemannian manifolds of the same dimension. Let $0<\varepsilon<\frac{inj(N)}{100}$. Let $f\colon M\to N$ be a smooth map such that for any $x\in M$ and any $v\in T_xM$ one ...
- 21.8k
3
votes
0
answers
141
views
Optimal intersections between planar convex regions
Here is an earlier discussion that could be related:
On comparing planar convex regions of equal perimeter and area
We are broadly interested in placing two given planar convex regions so that the ...
- 5,979
2
votes
1
answer
354
views
Union of Hamming balls
Let $V \subseteq \{0,1\}^n$, $\log|V| = k$. Consider
$V_r:= \bigcup_{x \in V} V_r(x)$, where $V_r(x)$ is a Hamming full-ball of radius $r$ and center $x$.
What is a lower bound for the cardinality ...
- 2,576
2
votes
1
answer
131
views
Curves of constant width that contain triangles
Wikipedia references: Curve of constant width,
Reuleaux polygon.
We record a pair of questions on the same lines as Smallest 3-ellipses that contain triangles.
Questions:
How does one find and ...
- 5,979
2
votes
0
answers
114
views
More on shadows of 3D convex bodies
Ref: Shadows and planar sections of polyhedra
By shadow we mean the orthogonal projection of a convex 3D body C onto a 2D plane, for example, the shadow on the xy-plane, with C above (z>0) that ...
- 5,979
2
votes
0
answers
159
views
Are there hereditarily square-boxed plane continua?
A plane continuum is a bounded, closed and connected subset of the plane.
A bounding box $B$ for a plane continuum $C$ is
a rectangle $B=[a,b]\times[c,d]$ (including sides and interior)
such that $C$ ...
- 1,375
2
votes
0
answers
84
views
Another variant of the Malfatti problem
We try to add to A Variant of the Malfatti Problem
As stated in the Wikipedia entry on Malfatti circles, it is an open problem to decide, given a number $n$ and any triangle, whether a greedy method ...
- 5,979
2
votes
0
answers
105
views
Optimization over a convex cone generated by a set is equal to optimization over the set
Within my research I found an important doubt and that prevents me from advancing, the context of my doubt is as follows:
We considerer the following optimization problem
$$
\left\{\begin{array}{cl} \...
- 159
2
votes
1
answer
163
views
Under which conditions is it possible to find points with same distances under bi-Lipschitz map [closed]
Given two metric spaces $(X,d_X), (Y, d_Y)$, a bi-Lipschitz map $f:X \to Y$ and a finite set of points $\{x_1, \ldots, x_n\} \in X$. Consider in addition, that $X$ is a vector space over $\mathbb{R}$, ...
- 177
1
vote
0
answers
124
views
A center of convex planar regions based on chords
This is based on Chapter 6 of 'Convex figures' by Yaglom and Boltyanskii. This post also continues On two centers of convex regions.
A point $P$ in the interior of a planar convex region $C$ divides ...
- 5,979
1
vote
1
answer
205
views
Conditions for Lipschitzness of boundary normal vector, almost everywhere
Let $C$ be a nonempty closed subset of $\mathbb R^n$. It is known that any such set satisfies the following condition
(Unique CPP a.e). For almost every $x \in \mathbb R^n$, there exists a unique ...
- 6,853
1
vote
1
answer
208
views
On a possible variant of Monsky's theorem
See Wikipedia for Monsky's theorem which states: it is not possible to dissect a square into an odd number of triangles all of equal area.
Questions: Are there quadrilaterals that allow partition into ...
- 5,979
1
vote
1
answer
209
views
Is a polytope with vertices on a sphere and all edges of same length already rigid?
Let's say $P\subset\Bbb R^d$ is some convex polytope with the following two properties:
all vertices are on a common sphere.
all edges are of the same length.
I suspect that such a polytope is ...
- 13.6k
94
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Volumes of sets of constant width in high dimensions
Background
The $n$-dimensional Euclidean ball of radius $1/2$ has width $1$ in every direction. Namely, when you consider a pair of parallel tangent hyperplanes in any direction the distance between ...
- 24.7k
90
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Does this property characterize straight lines in the plane?
Take a plane curve $\gamma$ and a disk of fixed radius whose center moves along $\gamma$. Suppose that $\gamma$ always cuts the disk in two simply connected regions of equal area. Is it true that $\...
- 4,459
65
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How many unit cylinders can touch a unit ball?
What is the maximum number $k$ of unit radius, infinitely long cylinders with mutually disjoint interiors that can touch a unit ball?
By a cylinder I mean a set congruent to the Cartesian product of ...
- 7,276
65
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Tying knots with reflecting lightrays
Let a lightray bounce around inside a cube whose faces
are (internal) mirrors.
If its slopes are rational, it will eventually form a cycle.
For example, starting with a point $p_0$ in the interior
of ...
50
votes
7
answers
5k
views
Is there an algebraic approach to metric spaces?
It is well known that most topological spaces can be studied via their algebra of continuous real-valued (or complex-valued) functions. For instance, in the setting of compact Hausdorff spaces, there ...
- 4,874
47
votes
3
answers
3k
views
A metric characterization of the real line
Is the following metric characterization of the real line true (and known)?
A nonempty complete metric space $(X,d)$ is isometric to the real line if and only if for every $c\in X$ and positive real ...
- 41.8k
45
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Pach's "Animals": What if the genus is positive?
Janos Pach asked a deep question 23 years ago (1988) that remains unsolved today:
Can every animal—a topological ball in $\mathbb{R^3}$ composed of unit cubes glued face-to-face—be ...
- 151k
44
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Is there an elementary proof that distal maps are invertible?
Let $T: X \to X$ be a continuous map on a compact metric space $X$. We say $T$ is distal if $\inf_n d(T^n x, T^n y) = 0$ implies $x = y$.
Then it is true that $T$ is bijective.
Question: Is there an ...
- 6,155
43
votes
0
answers
819
views
A kaleidoscopic coloring of the plane
Problem. Is there a partition $\mathbb R^2=A\sqcup B$ of the Euclidean plane into two Lebesgue measurable sets such that for any disk $D$ of the unit radius we get $\lambda(A\cap D)=\lambda(B\cap D)=\...
- 41.8k
41
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can we find lattice polyhedra with faces of area 1,2,3,...?
I asked this question two months ago on MSE, where it earned the rare
Tumbleweed badge for garnering zero votes, zero answers, and 25 views over 61 days.
Perhaps justifiably so! Here I repeat it with ...
- 151k
40
votes
7
answers
15k
views
How might M.C. Escher have designed his patterns?
I realize this question isn't strictly mathematical, and if it doesn't fit with the content on this site then feel free (moderators/high-rep users) to close it. But when I thought up the question it ...
- 461
38
votes
7
answers
5k
views
Shortest path connecting two opposite points on a cube
Is it true, that a path connecting two opposite points (i.e. such that the segment joining them passes through the centre of mass of the cube) on the surface of the $d$-dimensional unit cube (with $d&...
- 1,431
35
votes
17
answers
6k
views
Which theorems have Pythagoras' Theorem as a special case?
Loomis famously wrote hundreds of proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem (reference below), but these are all basically proofs "from below". Today on Twitter @panlepan mentioned Carnot's theorem ...
34
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Tiling a square with rectangles
Is it possible to completely tile a square with different rectangles of integer sides but all with the same area?
The original problem, not requiring integer sides for rectangles, was proposed by Joe ...
- 3,707
34
votes
4
answers
2k
views
About the ratio of the areas of a convex pentagon and the inner pentagon made by the five diagonals
Question : Letting $S{^\prime}$ be the area of the inner pentagon made by the five diagonals of a convex pentagon whose area is $S$, then find the max of $\frac{S^\prime}{S}$.
...
- 4,757
33
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Understanding sphere packing in higher dimensions
In a recent publication by the Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska the Kepler problem for dimension $8$ and $24$, namely the densest packing of spheres, was solved.
Admittedly it is very ...
user88381
33
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Polar body of a convex body that avoids a lattice
Let $K \subset {\bf R}^d$ be a symmetric convex body (an open bounded convex neighbourhood of the origin with $K = -K$) with the property that $K + {\bf Z}^d \neq {\bf R}^d$, i.e. the projection of $K$...
- 114k
33
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Does there exist a shot in ideal pocket billiards?
Assume you have one shot with the cue ball in pocket billiards (a.k.a. pool), with
the game idealized in that no spin is placed on the cue ball in
the initial shot, all collisions between billiard ...
- 151k
32
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Nonconvex manhole covers
One common reason given for the circularity of manhole covers is that they can't fall through the manhole. For convex manhole covers, this property is equivalent to having constant width — if ...
- 5,275
32
votes
5
answers
6k
views
What is a good method to find random points on the n-sphere when n is large?
As part of a more complex algorithm, I need a fast method to find random points of the n-sphere, $S^n$, starting with a RNG (random number generator). A simple way to do this (in low dimensions at ...
- 15.3k
32
votes
8
answers
4k
views
Can Morley's theorem be generalized?
Morley's theorem states that in any triangle, the three points of intersection of the adjacent angle trisectors form an equilateral triangle.
In a talk some years ago, David Rusin made the provocative ...
- 82.6k
31
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can R^3 be expressed as a disjoint union of pairwise linked circles?
We can express $\mathbb{R}^3$ as a disjoint union of circles. There are some constructive ways of doing this, although it's easier to construct them sequentially by transfinite induction, applying the ...
- 12.4k
31
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Fair cutting of the plane with lines
An infinite countable family $\cal{L}$ of straight lines in the plane $\mathbb{R}^2$ forms a fair cutting of the plane if the following conditions are satisfied:
$\bullet$ No circle intersects ...
- 7,276