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75
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3 answers

What's an example of a discontinuous linear functional from $\ell^2$ to $\mathbb{R}$?

I'm trying to find a discontinuous linear functional into $\mathbb{R}$ as a prep question for a test. I know that I need an infinite-dimensional Vector Space. Since $\ell_2$ is infinite-dimensional, there must exist a linear functional from $\ell_2$…
75
votes
9 answers

Best Algebraic Topology book/Alternative to Allen Hatcher free book?

Allen Hatcher seems impossible and this is set as the course text? So was wondering is there a better book than this? It's pretty cheap book compared to other books on amazon and is free online. Any good intro to Algebraic topology books? I can…
75
votes
2 answers

Combinatorial proof that $\sum \limits_{k=0}^n \binom{2k}{k} \binom{2n-2k}{n-k} (-1)^k = 2^n \binom{n}{n/2}$ when $n$ is even

In my answer here I prove, using generating functions, a statement equivalent to $$\sum_{k=0}^n \binom{2k}{k} \binom{2n-2k}{n-k} (-1)^k = 2^n \binom{n}{n/2}$$ when $n$ is even. (Clearly the sum is $0$ when $n$ is odd.) The nice expression on the…
75
votes
4 answers

Check if a point is within an ellipse

I have an ellipse centered at $(h,k)$, with semi-major axis $r_x$, semi-minor axis $r_y$, both aligned with the Cartesian plane. How do I determine if a point $(x,y)$ is within the area bounded by the ellipse?
75
votes
2 answers

Why is $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-n}], n\ge 3$ not a UFD?

I'm considering the ring $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-n}]$, where $n\ge 3$ and square free. I want to see why it's not a UFD. I defined a norm for the ring by $|a+b\sqrt{-n}|=a^2+nb^2$. Using this I was able to show that $2$, $\sqrt{-n}$ and $1+\sqrt{-n}$…
75
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5 answers

What does "curly (curved) less than" sign $\succcurlyeq$ mean?

I am reading Boyd & Vandenberghe's Convex Optimization. The authors use curved greater than or equal to (\succcurlyeq) $$f(x^*) \succcurlyeq \alpha$$ and curved less than or equal to (\preccurlyeq) $$f(x^*) \preccurlyeq \alpha$$ Can someone explain…
Dinesh K.
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75
votes
2 answers

What is the difference between projected gradient descent and ordinary gradient descent?

I just read about projected gradient descent but I did not see the intuition to use Projected one instead of normal gradient descent. Would you tell me the reason and preferable situations of projected gradient descent? What does that projection…
75
votes
4 answers

How to calculate $\,(a-b)\bmod n\,$ and $ {-}b \bmod n$

Consider the following expression: (a - b) mod N Which of the following is equivalent to the above expression? 1) ((a mod N) + (-b mod N)) mod N 2) ((a mod N) - (b mod N)) mod N Also, how is (-b mod N) calculated, i.e., how is the mod of a…
J.P.
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75
votes
4 answers

Integrals of $\sqrt{x+\sqrt{\phantom|\dots+\sqrt{x+1}}}$ in elementary functions

Let $f_n(x)$ be recursively defined as $$f_0(x)=1,\ \ \ f_{n+1}(x)=\sqrt{x+f_n(x)},\tag1$$ i.e. $f_n(x)$ contains $n$ radicals and $n$ occurences of $x$: $$f_1(x)=\sqrt{x+1},\ \ \ f_2(x)=\sqrt{x+\sqrt{x+1}},\ \ \…
75
votes
12 answers

Why is empty set an open set?

I thought about it for a long time, but I can't come up some good ideas. I think that empty set has no elements,how to use the definition of an open set to prove the proposition. The definition of an open set: a set S in n-dimensional space is…
python3
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75
votes
1 answer

Closed form for $\int_0^\infty\ln\frac{J_\mu(x)^2+Y_\mu(x)^2}{J_\nu(x)^2+Y_\nu(x)^2}\mathrm dx$

Consider the following integral: $$\mathcal{I}(\mu,\nu)=\int_0^\infty\ln\frac{J_\mu(x)^2+Y_\mu(x)^2}{J_\nu(x)^2+Y_\nu(x)^2}\mathrm dx,$$ where $J_\mu(x)$ is the Bessel function of the first kind: $$J_\mu(x)=\sum…
75
votes
1 answer

About Euclid's Elements and modern video games

Update (6/19/2014) $\;$ Just wanted to say that this idea that I posted more than a year ago, has now become reality at: http://euclidthegame.com/ 12.292 users have played it in 96 different countries, and 1232 people have reached level 20 :) Update…
Kasper
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75
votes
2 answers

What is the difference between the Jacobian, Hessian and the Gradient?

I know there is a lot of topic regarding this on the internet, and trust me, I've googled it. But things are getting more and more confused for me. From my understanding, The gradient is the slope of the most rapid descent. Modifying your position…
Pluviophile
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75
votes
2 answers

Order of general- and special linear groups over finite fields.

Let $\mathbb{F}_3$ be the field with three elements. Let $n\geq 1$. How many elements do the following groups have? $\text{GL}_n(\mathbb{F}_3)$ $\text{SL}_n(\mathbb{F}_3)$ Here GL is the general linear group, the group of invertible n×n matrices,…
75
votes
7 answers

Proof that Pi is constant (the same for all circles), without using limits

Is there a proof that the ratio of a circle's diameter and the circumference is the same for all circles, that doesn't involve some kind of limiting process, e.g. a direct geometrical proof?
Chris Card
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