Frequent Questions
18,060 questions
18
votes
0
answers
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views
"Special" meanders
One of the open problems in combinatorics is enumeration of meanders.
Here on MO I only could find them under the heading not-especially-famous-long-open-problems-which-anyone-can-understand.
Since my ...
- 18.4k
17
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Does ZFC prove the universe is linearly orderable?
It is consistent with ZFC that the universe is well-ordered, e.g. in $V=L$ where global choice holds. I also know that it is consistent that global choice fails (although I have no immediate example ...
- 39.8k
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Intuitive explanation why "shadow operator" $\frac D{e^D-1}$ connects logarithms with trigonometric functions?
Consider the operator $\frac D{e^D-1}$ which we will call "shadow":
$$\frac {D}{e^D-1}f(x)=\frac1{2 \pi }\int_{-\infty }^{+\infty } e^{-iwx}\frac{-iw}{e^{-i w}-1}\int_{-\infty }^{+\infty } e^...
- 10.1k
8
votes
2
answers
699
views
Order type of $\alpha$-computable well-orderings
One of the nice features of the first admissible ordinal after $\omega$, i.e. $\omega_1^{CK}$, is that it is the collection of ordinals whose order type is that of a computable well-ordering on $\...
- 2,221
2
votes
0
answers
427
views
Lifting a quadratic system to a non-vanishing vector field on $S^{3}$ or $T^{1} S^{2}$
Let $P:S^{3}\to S^{2}$ be the Hopf fibration. For a vector field $X$ on $S^{2}$ there is a non-vanishing vector field $\tilde{X}$ on $S^{3}$ such that $DP(\tilde{X})=X$. It is constructed in ...
- 366
368
votes
31
answers
80k
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Geometric interpretation of trace
This afternoon I was speaking with some graduate students in the department and we came to the following quandary;
Is there a geometric interpretation of the trace of a matrix?
This question ...
252
votes
37
answers
178k
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Best algebraic geometry textbook? (other than Hartshorne)
I think (almost) everyone agrees that Hartshorne's Algebraic Geometry is still the best.
Then what might be the 2nd best?
It can be a book, preprint, online lecture note, webpage, etc.
One suggestion ...
238
votes
10
answers
44k
views
If $f$ is infinitely differentiable then $f$ coincides with a polynomial
Let $f$ be an infinitely differentiable function on $[0,1]$ and suppose that for each $x \in [0,1]$ there is an integer $n \in \mathbb{N}$ such that $f^{(n)}(x)=0$. Then does $f$ coincide on $[0,1]$ ...
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197
votes
94
answers
107k
views
Famous mathematical quotes [closed]
Some famous quotes often give interesting insights into the vision of mathematics that certain mathematicians have. Which ones are you particularly fond of?
Standard community wiki rules apply: one ...
174
votes
53
answers
57k
views
17 camels trick
The following popular mathematical parable is well known:
A father left 17 camels to his three sons and, according to the will, the eldest son should be given a half of all camels, the middle son ...
137
votes
26
answers
29k
views
What are some famous rejections of correct mathematics?
Dick Lipton has a blog post that motivated this question. He recalled the Stark-Heegner
Theorem: There are only a finite
number of imaginary quadratic fields
that have unique factorization. They
are $...
114
votes
19
answers
42k
views
What is the definition of "canonical"?
I just received a referee report criticizing that I would too often use the word "canonical". I have a certain understanding of what "canonical" should stand for, but the report ...
110
votes
10
answers
26k
views
Set theories without "junk" theorems?
Clearly I first need to formally define what I mean by "junk" theorem. In the usual construction of natural numbers in set theory, a side-effect of that construction is that we get such theorems as $...
- 11.8k
107
votes
36
answers
21k
views
Interesting examples of vacuous / void entities
I included this footnote in a paper in which I mentioned that the number of partitions of the empty set is 1 (every member of any partition is a non-empty set, and of course every member of the empty ...
105
votes
5
answers
16k
views
Independent evidence for the classification of topological 4-manifolds?
Is there any evidence for the classification of topological 4-manifolds, aside from Freedman's 1982 paper "The topology of four-dimensional manifolds", Journal of Differential Geometry 17(3) 357–453? ...
- 2,337
94
votes
2
answers
7k
views
$A$ is isomorphic to $A \oplus \mathbb{Z}^2$, but not to $A \oplus \mathbb{Z}$
Are there abelian groups $A$ with $A \cong A \oplus \mathbb{Z}^2$ and $A \not\cong A \oplus \mathbb{Z}$?
- 63.1k
62
votes
7
answers
10k
views
Why is the Gaussian so pervasive in mathematics?
This is a heuristic question that I think was once asked by Serge Lang. The gaussian: $e^{-x^2}$ appears as the fixed point to the Fourier transform, in the punchline to the central limit theorem, as ...
- 631
58
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Number of elements in the set $\{1,\cdots,n\}\cdot\{1,\cdots,n\}$
Let $A_n=\{a\cdot b : a,b \in \mathbb{N}, a,b\leq n\}$. Are there any estimates for $|A_n|$? Will it be $o(n^2)$?
- 897
57
votes
6
answers
6k
views
Is the non-triviality of the algebraic dual of an infinite-dimensional vector space equivalent to the axiom of choice?
If $V$ is given to be a vector space that is not finite-dimensional, it doesn't seem to be possible to exhibit an explicit non-zero linear functional on $V$ without further information about $V$. The ...
- 3,511
49
votes
0
answers
3k
views
Concerning proofs from the axiom of choice that ℝ³ admits surprising geometrical decompositions: Can we prove there is no Borel decomposition?
This question follows up on a comment I made on Joseph O'Rourke's
recent question, one of several questions here on mathoverflow
concerning surprising geometric partitions of space using the axiom
of ...
- 236k
49
votes
11
answers
7k
views
In "splendid isolation"
While browsing the Net for some articles related to the history of the Whittaker-Shannon sampling theorem, so important to our digital world today, I came across this passage by H. D. Luke in The ...
46
votes
7
answers
10k
views
Are some numbers more irrational than others?
Some irrational numbers are transcendental, which makes them in some sense "more irrational" than algebraic numbers. There are also numbers, such as the golden ratio $\varphi$, which are poorly ...
- 1,823
41
votes
3
answers
15k
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Distributing points evenly on a sphere
I am looking for an algorithm to put $n$-points on a sphere, so that the minimum distance between any two points is as large as possible.
I have found some related questions on stackoverflow but ...
- 742
40
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Is there a computable model of ZFC?
Background
Assuming ZFC is consistent, then by downward Löwenheim–Skolem, there is a countable model (M,$\in$) of ZFC. Since the universe M is countable, we may as well think of it as actually being ...
40
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Which number fields are monogenic? and related questions
A number field $K$ is said to be monogenic when $\mathcal{O}_K=\mathbb{Z}[\alpha]$ for some $\alpha\in\mathcal{O}_K$. What is currently known about which $K$ are monogenic? Which are not? From Marcus'...
- 6,792
38
votes
3
answers
8k
views
The error in Petrovski and Landis' proof of the 16th Hilbert problem
What was the main error in the proof of the second part of the 16th Hilbert problem by Petrovski and Landis?
Please see this related post and also the following post.. For Mathematical development ...
- 366
33
votes
6
answers
4k
views
Is there any holomorphic version of the tubular neighborhood theorem?
This question arised when I was studying Beauville's book 'Complex Algebraic Surfaces'.
Castelnuovo's theorem says that a smooth rational curve $E$ on an algebraic surface $S$ is an exceptional ...
- 1,083
25
votes
1
answer
2k
views
The abc-conjecture as an inequality for inner-products?
The abc-conjecture is:
For every $\epsilon > 0$ there exists $K_{\epsilon}$ such that for all natural numbers $a \neq b$ we have:
$$ \frac{a+b}{\gcd(a,b)}\,\ <\,\ K_{\epsilon}\cdot \text{rad}\...
user6671
20
votes
6
answers
42k
views
Eigenvalues of symmetric tridiagonal matrices
Suppose I have the symmetric tridiagonal matrix:
$$ \begin{pmatrix}
a & b_{1} & 0 & ... & 0 \\\
b_{1} & a & b_{2} & \ddots & \vdots \\\
0 & b_{2} & a & \...
17
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Kolmogorov superposition for smooth functions
Kolmogorov superposition theorem states that a continuous function $f(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$ can be written as
$$f(x_1,\ldots,x_n)=\sum_{q=0}^{2n}\Phi_q\left(\sum_{p=1}^{n}\phi_{q,p}(x_p)\right)$$
for ...
- 807
17
votes
0
answers
402
views
Number of $F_p$-matrices ac=ca, bd = db , ad - da = cb - bc is polynomial in p ? ("Manin matrix variety" - normal ? Cohen–Macaulay ? )
Consider four $n\times n$ matrices $a,b,c,d$ over finite field $F_q$ (or $F_p$ for simplicity), such that they satisfy three equations: $ac=ca,bd=db, ad-da=cb-bc $. Thus an affine algebraic manifold ...
- 24.9k
17
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Bijection implies isomorphism for algebraic varieties
Let $f:X\to Y$ be a morphism of algebraic varieties over $\mathbb C$. Assume that
a) $f$ is bijective on $\mathbb C$-points
b) $X$ is connected
c) $Y$ is normal.
Does it imply that $f$ is an ...
- 7,037
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Asymptotic approximation of $x^\alpha$ by entire functions
Given a non-integral real $\alpha$, is there an entire (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entire_function) function $h(x)$ such that $x^{-\alpha}h(x)\longrightarrow 1$
for $x\rightarrow+\infty$ (with $...
- 17.9k
14
votes
2
answers
872
views
Are all maps $\mathbb{R}^2 \to \mathbb{R}^2$ with fixed singular values affine?
Let $f:\mathbb{R}^2 \to \mathbb{R}^2$ be a smooth map whose differential has fixed distinct singular values $0<\sigma_1<\sigma_2$ and an everywhere positive determinant (which is the product $\...
- 6,741
13
votes
1
answer
675
views
Strongly rigid Hausdorff spaces
A space $(X,\tau)$ is called rigid if $\textrm{Aut}(X)=\{\textrm{id}_X\}$. We say $(X,\tau)$ is strongly rigid if for every continuous map $f:X\to X$ we have that $f = \textrm{id}_X$ or $f$ is ...
- 48.9k
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Number of commuting pairs (triples, n-tuples) in GL_n(F_q) (and other groups)?
Question 1 What is the number of pairs of commuting elements in GL_n(F_q) ?
I am aware of many results concerning commuting elements in Mat_n(F_q), but I am interested in GL i.e. non-degenerate ...
- 24.9k
11
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What's the matrix of logarithm of derivative operator ($\ln D$)? What is the role of this operator in various math fields?
Babusci and Dattoli, On the logarithm of the derivative operator, arXiv:1105.5978, gives some great results:
\begin{align*}
(\ln D) 1 & {}= -\ln x -\gamma \\
(\ln D) x^n & {}= x^n (\psi (n+1)-\...
- 10.1k
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Cycling through the Zeta Garden: Zeta functions for graphs, cycle index polynomials, and determinants
Zeta functions abound in mathematics. Audrey Terras describes in Zeta Functions and Chaos three zeta functions--the zeta fct. of a projective non-singular algebraic variety; the Artin-Mazur zeta ...
- 10.5k
5
votes
1
answer
630
views
Infinite dimensional involutions: infinitely large sets of multivariate polynomials self-inverse under self-substitution
Examples of infinite dimensional involutions
Edit 2/25/23, as suggested by YCOR below: (Start)
The first return on a Google search on involution--from late Latin 'a rolling up'--gives the Oxford ...
- 10.5k
4
votes
1
answer
366
views
A cubic system with two nested limit cycles with opposite orientations
What is an example of polynomial vector field $$\begin{cases} x'=P(x,y)\\ y'=Q(x,y) \end{cases}$$ such that two closed orbits $C_1,C_2$ of the system surrounds an annular region $R$ such that $...
- 366
531
votes
3
answers
58k
views
Polynomial bijection from $\mathbb Q\times\mathbb Q$ to $\mathbb Q$?
Is there any polynomial $f(x,y)\in{\mathbb Q}[x,y]{}$ such that $f\colon\mathbb{Q}\times\mathbb{Q} \rightarrow\mathbb{Q}$ is a bijection?
- 5,363
430
votes
16
answers
65k
views
Why do roots of polynomials tend to have absolute value close to 1?
While playing around with Mathematica I noticed that most polynomials with real coefficients seem to have most complex zeroes very near the unit circle. For instance, if we plot all the roots of a ...
- 48.8k
406
votes
85
answers
189k
views
Proofs without words
Can you give examples of proofs without words? In particular, can you give examples of proofs without words for non-trivial results?
(One could ask if this is of interest to mathematicians, and I ...
164
votes
14
answers
40k
views
What is an integrable system?
What is an integrable system, and what is the significance of such systems? (Maybe it is easier to explain what a non-integrable system is.) In particular, is there a dichotomy between "...
- 24.7k
143
votes
12
answers
30k
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Solutions to the Continuum Hypothesis
Related MO questions: What is the general opinion on the Generalized Continuum Hypothesis? ; Completion of ZFC ; Complete resolutions of GCH How far wrong could the Continuum Hypothesis be? When was ...
- 24.7k
137
votes
9
answers
19k
views
Is there an underlying explanation for the magical powers of the Schwarzian derivative?
Given a function $f(z)$ on the complex plane, define the Schwarzian derivative $S(f)$ to be the function
$S(f) = \frac{f'''}{f'} - \frac{3}{2} \Big(\frac{f''}{f'}\Big)^2$
Here is a somewhat more ...
- 29.2k
122
votes
4
answers
39k
views
Is the analysis as taught in universities in fact the analysis of definable numbers?
Ten years ago, when I studied in university, I had no idea about definable numbers, but I came to this concept myself. My thoughts were as follows:
All numbers are divided into two classes: those ...
- 10.1k
107
votes
32
answers
15k
views
The half-life of a theorem, or Arnold's principle at work
Suppose you prove a theorem, and then sleep well at night knowing that future generations will remember your name in conjunction with the great advance in human wisdom. In fact, sadly, it seems that ...
107
votes
9
answers
36k
views
solving $f(f(x))=g(x)$
This question is of course inspired by the question How to solve f(f(x))=cosx
and Joel David Hamkins' answer, which somehow gives a formal trick for solving equations of the form $f(f(x))=g(x)$ on a ...
- 41.4k
106
votes
19
answers
12k
views
When are two proofs of the same theorem really different proofs
Many well-known theorems have lots of "different" proofs. Often new proofs of a theorem arise surprisingly from other branches of mathematics than the theorem itself.
When are two proofs really the ...
- 1,069