Most active questions
780 questions from the last 30 days
47
votes
10
answers
6k
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Algebraic theorems with no known algebraic proofs
What are some good examples of algebraic theorems that have no known algebraic proofs?
A few I know concern classifications of (not necessarily associative) division algebras over $\mathbb{R}$: the ...
34
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Closed formula for the factorial over naturals
How to prove that there is no formula for $n!$ that does only use the binary operations $+,-,*,/$ on natural numbers, powers of natural numbers, and fixed natural numbers?
The same question over the ...
- 19.1k
13
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Publishing corollaries of previously published results
About a year ago, I published a paper. Since then, through discussions with some colleagues, we have identified several interesting corollaries that can be derived from its results, with only minor ...
- 149
14
votes
4
answers
2k
views
The ten most fundamental topics in geometric group theory
What are the ten most fundamental topics in geometric group theory?
This is a pedagogical question prompted by the fact that I am teaching geometric group theory to undergraduates. They are expected ...
16
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Is there a natural topology for sets of topological spaces?
The Gromov–Hausdorff metric makes a set of compact metric spaces into a metric space itself. I am wondering what some natural generalizations there are for arbitrary topological spaces. Namely, is ...
- 719
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Do the surreal numbers enjoy the transfer principle in ZFC?
The surreal field $\newcommand\No{№}\No$ is definable in ZFC, and it is easy to see that the surreal order is $\kappa$-saturated for every cardinal $\kappa$, precisely because we fill any specified ...
- 236k
5
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Stable points in GIT: geometric picture
Is there a geometric picture justifying why "stable points" in GIT (Geometric Invariant Theory) are actually called "stable"? Stable, with respect to which effect? (Here, I have ...
- 619
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What's the deal with De Morgan algebras and Kleene algebras?
The notion of Boolean algebras, and the corresponding classical propositional logic, is very standard, and it is easy to find information about them (for example, among many other such works, there is ...
- 32.5k
20
votes
1
answer
2k
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Can you see through a cannonball packing?
More precisely, in a regular sphere packing, either the
HCP or FCC lattice packing,
does there exist a line $L$ disjoint from every sphere,
i.e., not touching any sphere?
If so, one could "look ...
- 151k
20
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Implicit function theorem without manifolds (Steve Smale article)?
I don't know if this is the right place for this question, if not then please let me know and I will delete it.
In 1974, Steve Smale published an article in the first issue of Journal of Mathematical ...
- 355
31
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Why does this system of gcd equations have no solutions?
In February 2024 the following question was posed by user @Aig on Math.StackExchange:
Find the solutions to the system of equations $$\begin{cases} a + b = \gcd(a^3,b^3) \\ b+c = \gcd(b^3,c^3) \\ c+a =...
- 361
13
votes
2
answers
665
views
Categories in which isomorphism of stalks does not imply isomorphism of sheaves
Let $\mathcal{A}$ be a locally small category with colimits of small filtered diagrams.
For the purposes of this question, an $\mathcal{A}$-presheaf on a topological space $X$ is a functor $\Omega (X)^...
- 15.9k
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Polynomials for natural numbers and irreducible polynomials for prime numbers?
Let $p$ be a prime and $n$ be a natural number.
Define inductively for prime numbers: $f_1(x) := 1$, $f_2(x):=x$, $f_p(x) := 1+\prod_{q\mid p-1} f_q(x)^{v_q(p-1)}$.
Is $f_p(x)$ always irreducible for ...
- 3,074
13
votes
2
answers
394
views
What does $\mathrm{Conf}_n(M)^{h S_n}$ look like?
$\DeclareMathOperator\Conf{Conf}$Let $M$ be a manifold, and $\Conf_n M$ the ordered configuration space of n points on $M$. The symmetric group $S_n$ acts by permuting the points.
Is there a simple ...
- 275
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
GAP cannot solve Rubik's cube 4x4x4 and higher ? (Practical limits of Schreier–Sims algorithm)
According to our practical experiments and literature search - computer algebra system GAP cannot "solve" Rubik's cube 4x4x4 and higher. That means cannot decompose given random element of ...
- 24.9k
8
votes
1
answer
679
views
Infinite series and sum of two squares
Consider the following infinite sequence $a(n)$ generated by
$$\sum_{n\geq0} a(n)q^n
=\frac{\sum_{k\geq0}F(2k+1)q^{\binom{k+1}2}}{\sum_{k\geq0} q^{\binom{k+1}2}}$$
where the $F(2k+1)$ are the odd ...
- 43.2k
4
votes
2
answers
509
views
Rational independence of higher golden ratios
The higher Golden Ratios $(\phi_n)_{n=0,1,2,3,\dots}$ are the real numbers defined recursively by setting
$\phi_0=0$ and for $n\ge1$,
$\phi_n$ is the positive (real) root of $X^2-\phi_{n-1}X-1$. We ...
- 43
10
votes
2
answers
389
views
Iteration of $\aleph_2$-properness
Let us say a forcing $P$ is proper for a class of models $\mathcal C$, if for large enough regular $\theta$ and $M \prec H_\theta$ in $\mathcal C$ with $P \in M$, every $p \in P \cap M$ can be ...
- 18.6k
7
votes
4
answers
500
views
Distinguishing finite families of sets by algebras of bounded size
Say that an algebra of sets $K$ distinguishes set $B$ from set $C$ provided that for some $A\in K$, we have exactly one of $A\cap B$ and $A\cap C$ non-empty. Given families $F$ and $G$ of sets, say ...
- 2,555
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Are integers conservatively embedded in the field of complex numbers?
I am looking for a reference to the fact that $\mathbb{Z}$ is conservatively embedded into the field $\mathbb{C}$ of complex numbers, that is anything in $\mathbb{Z}$ which is definable in $(\mathbb{C}...
- 301
6
votes
2
answers
739
views
Shifting an irrational binary sequence
Let $\newcommand{\tn}{\{0,1\}^\mathbb{N}}\tn$ be the collection of all infinite binary sequences. For $s\in\tn$ and $k\in\mathbb{N}$ let the left-shift of $s$ by $k$ positions, $\ell_k(s)\in \tn$, be ...
- 48.9k
5
votes
2
answers
370
views
Are there integer solutions of $m^4+m^2n^2+n^4=k^2$?
The recent question about Sets of integers with same sum and same sum of reciprocals, with its wealth of solutions, raises naturally the question: Can we require all those numbers to be squares? Of ...
- 13.4k
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Difficulty with "A new elementary proof of the Prime Number Theorem" by Richter
I'm studying Richter's "A new elementary proof of the Prime Number Theorem" paper, and I'm finding some problems understanding some parts of it. For example, I don't see how to get, in Lemma ...
- 125
15
votes
1
answer
815
views
Are key theorems finitistically reducible?
Simpson writes on page 378 of his Subsystems of Second Order
Arithmetic:
"For example, all of the following key theorems of infinitistic
mathematics are provable in WKL$_0$ and therefore, by ...
- 16.6k
6
votes
3
answers
753
views
Clarification and Proof of Inequality (8.11) in Analytic Number Theory by Iwaniec and Kowalski
I am studying inequality (8.11) from Analytic Number Theory by Iwaniec and Kowalski. It is found on top of page 200. In bottom of page 199, the authors prove that
$$
|S_f(N)|^2 \leq N + \frac{2N^2}{q} ...
- 111
6
votes
1
answer
655
views
Is decomposability of polynomials over a field an undecidable problem?
By a decomposition of a polynomial $F(x)$ over a field $K$ we mean writing $F(x)$ as
$$
F(x)=G(H(x)) \quad(G(x), H(x) \in K[x]),
$$
which is nontrivial if $\operatorname{deg} G(x)>1$ and $\...
- 310
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Philosophy behind the Ricci flow
I don't know if my question is too simple for this forum but let me proceed.
In Ricci flow one equips a smooth manifold $M$ with a Riemannian metric $g_0$ and evolves the metric with "time": ...
- 521
5
votes
2
answers
364
views
Can one show that $(-1)^{n-1} {(1/\zeta)}^{(n)}(x) >0$ for all real $x>1$?
Is it true that $(-1)^{n-1} {(1/\zeta)}^{(n)}(x) >0$ for all real $x>1$ ?
Or in other words can you show that the higher order derivatives of the reciprocal of the Riemann zeta function ...
- 178
12
votes
1
answer
702
views
Does synonymy seep down to the fragments of theories?
IF we have a synonymous interpretation between two theories $T$ and $H$ that uses translation $\tau$ from the language of $T$ to the language of $H$. Then I'd expect that for a sentence $\mu$ in the ...
- 11.3k
5
votes
2
answers
564
views
Equivalence of higher categories
I have seen the notion of bicategories and tricategories; they are weak 2 and 3-categories. Is there any relation between weak n-categories and ($\infty$,n) categories? I would like to know.
Thanks.
- 331
13
votes
1
answer
866
views
Mistake on article about Bohr compactification?
$\DeclareMathOperator\b{b}\newcommand\B{{\operatorname B}}$I wish to get help understanding the content of two theorems of [Iva] that seem mutually contradictory. First some context. Let $\b(\mathbb{R}...
- 193
3
votes
2
answers
159
views
Is there a sparse almost disjoint family over $\omega$ of cardinality $2^{\aleph_0}$?
Is there an almost disjoint family $\mathcal{F}$ of subsets of $\omega$ of cardinality $2^{\aleph_0}$ satisfying the following property?
For all $A,B\in\mathcal{F}$ with $A\neq B$ and every $k\in\...
- 1,792
8
votes
1
answer
860
views
What is the smallest and "best" 27 lines configuration? And what is its symmetry group?
I was this past year working with a bright high-schooler on algebraic geometry following Reid's book Undergraduate Algebraic Geometry, and we got all the way to proving that there is at least one line ...
- 35.5k
5
votes
3
answers
346
views
An uncountable measurable subset of $\Bbb R$ containing no nonempty perfect set
$\newcommand\R{\Bbb R}$Assuming the axiom of choice, is there an uncountable Lebesgue-measurable subset $S$ of $\R$ that contains no nonempty perfect set?
Of course, such a set $S$, if it exists, ...
- 128k
4
votes
3
answers
405
views
Huygens' principle or finite speed of propagation?
I am reading the paper Large global solutions for energy supercritical nonlinear wave equations on $\mathbb{R}^{3+1}$ by Krieger and Schlag and am confused by one of their steps.
For context, $v(t,r)$ ...
- 900
7
votes
1
answer
556
views
Example of continuous function which is not differentiable everywhere in a strong sense
Is there a continuous function
$$u\colon (0,1)\to \mathbb{R}$$
such that at every point $x\in (0,1)$ one has
$$\lim\sup_{y\to x+0}\frac{u(y)-u(x)}{y-x}=+\infty?$$
In particular $u$ is not ...
- 21.8k
5
votes
1
answer
470
views
Is the set of generalized Fermat triples computable?
Is $\;\big\{(a,b,c)\in\mathbb{N}^3: \big(\exists m,n,\ell \in (\mathbb{N}\setminus\{0,1,2\})\big): a^m + b^n= c^\ell\big\}\;$ computable?
- 48.9k
7
votes
1
answer
319
views
Example of non homogenous manifold with a finitely generated algebra of natural functions
Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian manifold. Let $C^{\infty}_{Nat}(M,g)$ be the $\mathbb{R}$-algebra of scalar invariants of the curvature tensor and all its higher covariant derivatives. An example of a ...
- 1,117
15
votes
1
answer
766
views
Does there exist a nowhere smooth function, that has arbitrary many derivatives?
I'm sorry if my title sounds misleading, I don't know a better way to word my question briefly. But I have the following question about functions.
First, as long as $A$ is a dense subset of $\mathbb{R}...
- 700
13
votes
2
answers
505
views
Closed form of $\frac{1}{\pi^{n}}\int_{\mathbb{R}^n}dV \prod_{i=1}^{l}\frac{1}{1+(v_{i}^{T}x)^2}$
Is it possible to find closed form of $$I=\frac{1}{\pi^{n}}\int_{\mathbb{R}^n}dV \prod_{i=1}^{l}\frac{1}{1+(v_{i}^{T}x)^2}$$
in terms of vectors $v_i$?
Where $x=(x_1,\ldots,x_{n}),\ dV=dx_1\wedge\...
- 251
7
votes
2
answers
431
views
closed form for an alternating cosecant sum
Is there any closed form for the following finite sum
$$\sum_{j=1}^{n-1}\frac{(-1)^j}{\sin (\frac{j\pi}{n})}$$
where $n$ is an even number?
Any comment or reference is welcome.
- 711
14
votes
1
answer
565
views
What is the "schematic" point of view for regular polyhedra?
Last week, I read Wikipedia's article on Alexander Grothendieck. It lists his twelve greatest contributions to mathematics as accounted for in Grothendieck's own Récoltes et Semailles. The final item ...
12
votes
1
answer
399
views
Is $X\times X$ homeomorphic to $X$ for a space of probability measures?
Let $\mathcal M_1(S)$ be the (compact, metrizable) space of probability Borel measures on the circle $S=\{z\in\mathbb C: |z|=1\}$ with its weak $*$ topology, so $\mu_n\to\mu$ if and only if
$$
\int_S ...
- 24.2k
-1
votes
2
answers
373
views
Are these polynomials the same? [closed]
Let $p=2^{127}-1,P,Q\in \mathbb F_p[x]$ with $P(x)=x^2+1$ and $Q(x)=x^2+2$.
Are there some polynomial $H \in \mathbb F_p[x]$ bijectif on $\mathbb F_p$ with $\forall x \in \mathbb F_p, H(P(x))=Q(H(x))...
- 4,074
12
votes
1
answer
228
views
Is there a $\Pi_2$ sentence $A$ such that $\text{ZFC}^- + A$ proves powerset?
This is a follow-up to this question.
Let $\text{ZFC}^-$ be ZFC without powerset and with collection rather than replacement, as described here.
Is there a $\Pi_2$ (or perhaps $\Sigma_2$) sentence $A$ ...
- 2,213
7
votes
1
answer
300
views
What does Robert Stong mean when he says $H^*(MO(k))$ is a free Steenrod algebra in dimension less than $2k$?
$\newcommand{\Z}{\mathbb Z}\newcommand{\a}{\mathfrak a}\newcommand\widetildeH{\smash{\widetilde H}}$In Robert Stong's notes on Cobordism Theory, on page 95 he asserts the following:
$\widetildeH^* (...
- 391
10
votes
1
answer
666
views
Are there any tests for knowing whether a topological space admits a CW structure?
We know that for n $\ge$ 5, a manifold admits a piecewise linear structure if and only if its Kirby-Siebenmann class vanish and Galewski and Stern showed the existence of a similar invariant to test ...
- 168
7
votes
1
answer
498
views
Invertibility of a matrix defined using inner product
Let $n,m \geq 1$. We fix $n$ distinct vectors $x_1, ... , x_n \in \mathbb{R}^m$. We define $A \in \mathbb{R}^{n\times n}$ as
\begin{equation}
A_{ij} = x_i^T \left(n x_j - \sum_{1 \leq k \leq n} x_k \...
- 2,306
7
votes
2
answers
344
views
Reference request: $\operatorname{Sym}^2_0(T^*M) \simeq \Lambda_- \otimes \Lambda_+$
I am looking for proof of the "well-known" result that for a $4$-dimensional Riemannian manifold $(M, g)$, we have an isomorphism
$$
\operatorname{Sym}^2_0(T^*M) \simeq \Lambda_- \otimes \...
- 113
3
votes
1
answer
306
views
$\bigwedge^2(\bigwedge^k\mathbb{C}^n)$ and $\operatorname{Sym}^2(\bigwedge^k\mathbb{C}^n)$ as $\operatorname{GL}(n,\mathbb{C})$-modules
Consider the natural representations of $\operatorname{GL}(n,\mathbb{C})$ in the spaces
$\bigwedge^2(\bigwedge^k\mathbb{C}^n)$ and $\operatorname{Sym}^2(\bigwedge^k\mathbb{C}^n)$.
Is it known how to ...
- 21.8k