May 2004 - mathfun@mailman.xmission.com

[math-fun] Twin prime proof offered
by Richard Schroeppel 09 Jun '04

09 Jun '04

Title: There Are Infinitely Many Prime Twins Authors: R. F. Arenstorf http://arXiv.org/abs/math/0405509 http://www.math.vanderbilt.edu/faculty/Arenstorf.html Richard Arenstorf is a real mathematician, at Vanderbilt. I looked at the 38 page manuscript - it's a well presented bunch of analytic number theory. The proof requires a lot of multi-level series manipulations, and careful arguments about convergence. I'm way too rusty to check this, but it's clearly a serious attempt. He notes that he's been working on the problem intermittently for 20 years. A Google search turned up a few references to his other work. The author claims a bit more: That the expected asymptotic expression for the count is correct, including the twin-prime constant. My quick scan didn't show any reason the proof wouldn't adapt to more general {P,P+2k} twins, although "Twin" would have to be agnostic about the primality of the intermediate numbers between P+2 and P+2k-2 when k>2. Similar ideas might also show the infinity of Sophie Germain pairs P,Q=2P+1 with P and Q both prime; and a restriction to P=3(mod4) would show an infinity of Mersenne composites Mp. The more general problem of primes in arithmetic progressions (longer than 2 of course) was recently settled by a density argument. Arbitrary lengths exist. I'd welcome comments from someone who remembers more of their analytic number theory than I do. Rich rcs(a)cs.arizona.edu

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[math-fun] odometer word game
by Richard Schroeppel 03 Jun '04

03 Jun '04

zimb zinc chromatic chromatid Rich

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[math-fun] mathematics hypertext
by BobMayans＠aol.com 31 May '04

31 May '04

Greetings. I have been working on the design of a large-scale hypertext for mathematics: a linked structure of Web pages of mathematical writing. A paper on the design issues and proposed architecture of a mathematical hypertext, at http://jodi.ecs.soton.ac.uk/Articles/v05/i01/Mayans/ may be of interest to math-funsters. This is a very large and long-term project. A first text, in linear algebra, is in the works. The starting point of this work is the question: what is the ideal way to write mathematics? I'm looking for thoughts, suggestions, and maybe collaborators in this work. Bob Mayans

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[math-fun] Don Reble points to Meccano difference engine
by Richard Schroeppel 30 May '04

30 May '04

Don Reble accidentally sent this to the old Arizona Math-Fun list. When I notice this, I forward it. -- Rich --- Sender: djr(a)gallifrey.nk.ca Date: Sat, 29 May 2004 23:03:18 -0600 To: MathFunList <math-fun(a)CS.Arizona.EDU> Subject: Meccano difference engine MathFuners: Have y'all seen this? http://mirror.digitalroutes.co.uk/www.meccano.us/difference_engines/rde_1/i… -- Don Reble djr(a)nk.ca

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RE: [math-fun] Twin prime proof offered
by Dan Asimov 28 May '04

28 May '04

Rich writes: << Richard Arenstorf is a real mathematician, at Vanderbilt. I looked at the 38 page manuscript - it's a well presented bunch of analytic number theory. The proof requires a lot of multi-level series manipulations, and careful arguments about convergence. I'm way too rusty to check this, but it's clearly a serious attempt. He notes that he's been working on the problem intermittently for 20 years. >> This is very exciting news!!! (maybe) How long would y'all estimate it will take for the analytic number theorists to vet the proof and offer a consensus as to its validity? --Dan

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Re: [math-fun] Ahmad Chalabi
by Dan Asimov 28 May '04

28 May '04

Mike Speciner writes: << Maybe someone knows for sure, but I have a little relevant information: (1) I'm pretty sure the Ahmad Chalabi in the news is an MIT alum. (2) The only MIT alum named Chalabi is Ahmad Abdul Hadi Chalabi who got his SB in math from MIT in 1965, and has a doctorate. >> Yeah, it's him. In my haste I neglected to mention that the bio I found on the web said he went to MIT and the Univ. of Chicago. --Dan

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RE: [math-fun] Ahmad Chalabi
by Schroeppel, Richard 28 May '04

28 May '04

I think 1965 is Whit's class. Rich -----Original Message----- From: Dan Asimov To: ms(a)alum.mit.edu, math-fun Sent: 5/28/2004 2:27 PM Subject: Re: [math-fun] Ahmad Chalabi Mike Speciner writes: << Maybe someone knows for sure, but I have a little relevant information: (1) I'm pretty sure the Ahmad Chalabi in the news is an MIT alum. (2) The only MIT alum named Chalabi is Ahmad Abdul Hadi Chalabi who got his SB in math from MIT in 1965, and has a doctorate. >> Yeah, it's him. In my haste I neglected to mention that the bio I found on the web said he went to MIT and the Univ. of Chicago. --Dan _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun

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[math-fun] Ahmad Chalabi
by Thane Plambeck 28 May '04

28 May '04

Is this Ahmad Chalabi the Ahmad Chalabi in the news? * * * * "Modules over Group Algebras and Their Application in the Study of Semi-Simplicity" Math Ann 201, 57-63 (1973) His affiliation at the end of the paper is listed as Dept of Mathematics, American Univ of Beirut Thane Plambeck 650 321 4884 office 650 323 4928 fax http://www.plambeck.org

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[math-fun] chalabi info
by Thane Plambeck 28 May '04

28 May '04

http://www.leuschke.org/log/archives/2004/05/28/index.html#over_beers_with Thane Plambeck 650 321 4884 office 650 323 4928 fax http://www.plambeck.org

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RE: [math-fun] Ahmad Chalabi
by Dan Asimov 28 May '04

28 May '04

Thane asks: << Is this Ahmad Chalabi the Ahmad Chalabi in the news? * * * * "Modules over Group Algebras and Their Application in the Study of Semi-Simplicity" Math Ann 201, 57-63 (1973) His affiliation at the end of the paper is listed as Dept of Mathematics, American Univ of Beirut >> Yes! According to a bio of him I found via Google, he was a math prof at the American Univ. of Beirut until 1977. Interesting. Thane, how did you ever think to find this clue? --Dan

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