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1500 questions
74
votes
4 answers

Are there any differences between tensors and multidimensional arrays?

I see lots of references saying things like A tensor is a multidimensional or N-way array But others that say things like it should be remarked that other mathematical entities occur in physics that, like tensors, generally consist of…
74
votes
11 answers

Where is the flaw in this "proof" that 1=2? (Derivative of repeated addition)

Consider the following: $1 = 1^2$ $2 + 2 = 2^2$ $3 + 3 + 3 = 3^2$ Therefore, $\underbrace{x + x + x + \ldots + x}_{x \textrm{ times}}= x^2$ Take the derivative of lhs and rhs and we get: $\underbrace{1 + 1 + 1 + \ldots + 1}_{x \textrm{ times}}…
user116
73
votes
3 answers

Prove that $\int_{0}^{1}\sin{(\pi x)}x^x(1-x)^{1-x}\,dx =\frac{\pi e}{24} $

I've found here the following integral. $$I = \int_{0}^{1}\sin{(\pi (1-x))}x^x(1-x)^{1-x}\,dx=\int_{0}^{1}\sin{(\pi x)}x^x(1-x)^{1-x}\,dx=\frac{\pi e}{24}$$ I've never seen it before and I also didn't find the evaluation on math.se. How could we…
user153012
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73
votes
9 answers

Subgroup of index $2$ is Normal

Please excuse the selfishness of the following question: Let $G$ be a group and $H \le G$ such that $|G:H|=2$. Show that $H$ is normal. Proof: Because $|G:H|=2$, $G = H \cup aH$ for some $a \in G \setminus H$. Let $x\in G$. Then $x \in H$ or $x…
73
votes
17 answers

What is a real world application of polynomial factoring?

The wife and I are sitting here on a Saturday night doing some algebra homework. We're factoring polynomials and had the same thought at the same time: when will we use this? I feel a bit silly because it always bugged me when people asked that in…
73
votes
3 answers

Does non-symmetric positive definite matrix have positive eigenvalues?

I found out that there exist positive definite matrices that are non-symmetric, and I know that symmetric positive definite matrices have positive eigenvalues. Does this hold for non-symmetric matrices as well?
73
votes
3 answers

Mathematical research of Pokémon

In competitive Pokémon-play, two players pick a team of six Pokémon out of the 718 available. These are picked independently, that is, player $A$ is unaware of player $B$'s choice of Pokémon. Some online servers let the players see the opponents…
73
votes
3 answers

What is the limit of $n \sin (2 \pi \cdot e \cdot n!)$ as $n$ goes to infinity?

I tried and got this $$e=\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{1}{k!}=\lim_{n\to\infty}\sum_{k=0}^n\frac{1}{k!}$$ $$n!\sum_{k=0}^n\frac{1}{k!}=\frac{n!}{0!}+\frac{n!}{1!}+\cdots+\frac{n!}{n!}=m$$ where $m$ is an integer. $$\lim_{n\to\infty}n\sin(2\pi…
73
votes
6 answers

Proving that $m+n\sqrt{2}$ is dense in $\mathbb R$

I am having trouble proving the statement: Let $$S = \{m + n\sqrt 2 : m, n \in\mathbb Z\}$$ Prove that for every $\epsilon > 0$, the intersection of $S$ and $(0, \epsilon)$ is nonempty.
73
votes
3 answers

Distribution of the product of two (or more) uniform random variables

Say $X_1, X_2, \dots, X_n \sim U(0,1)$ are independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) uniform random variables on the interval $(0,1)$. I am interested in finding the distribution of the product of $2$, $3$ or more such random variables,…
73
votes
2 answers

Can $18$ consecutive integers be separated into two groups such that their product is equal?

Can $18$ consecutive positive integers be separated into two groups such that their product is equal? We cannot leave out any number and neither we can take any number more than once. My work: When the smallest number is not $17$ or its…
Hawk
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73
votes
5 answers

Matrices commute if and only if they share a common basis of eigenvectors?

I've come across a paper that mentions the fact that matrices commute if and only if they share a common basis of eigenvectors. Where can I find a proof of this statement?
73
votes
0 answers

Dedekind Sum Congruences

For $a,b,c \in \mathbb{N}$, let $a^{\prime} = \gcd(b,c)$, $b^{\prime} = \gcd(a,c)$, $c^{\prime} = \gcd(a,b)$ and $d = a^{\prime} b^{\prime} c^{\prime}$. Define $\mathfrak{S}(a,b,c) = a^{\prime} \mathfrak{s}( \tfrac{bc}{d}, \tfrac{a}{b^{\prime}…
user02138
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73
votes
11 answers

$A_4$ has no subgroup of order $6$?

Can a kind algebraist offer an improvement to this sketch of a proof? Show that $A_4$ has no subgroup of order 6. Note, $|A_4|= 4!/2 =12$. Suppose $A_4>H, |H|=6$. Then $|A_4/H| = [A_4:H]=2$. So $H \vartriangleleft A_4$ so consider the…
73
votes
6 answers

Similar matrices and field extensions

Given a field $F$ and a subfield $K$ of $F$. Let $A$, $B$ be $n\times n$ matrices such that all the entries of $A$ and $B$ are in $K$. Is it true that if $A$ is similar to $B$ in $F^{n\times n}$ then they are similar in $K^{n\times n}$? Any help…