Feature Column

The problem is similar to search problems in theoretical computer science, where the goal is to systematically locate a hidden target (in this case, the rabbit)... Capturing the Invisible Hopping Rabbit Sunil Chebolu Illinois State University Deepayan Sarkar Indian Statistical Institute A Rabbit Hunting Problem Imagine an invisible rabbit thatRead More →

Feature Column

An automorphic form is, in the simplest sense, like a trigonometric function. Trigonometric functions are inescapable in both mathematics and physics, so it makes sense that we would see generalizations of them in physics applications... Strung Out on Automorphic Forms Holley Friedlander Dickinson College Automorphic forms are highly symmetric functionsRead More →

Feature Column

A variety of experiments related to the Turing test have been carried out, and there are now computer programs that can systematically convince many humans that they are conversing with another human... People and Computers Compared Joe Malkevitch York College (CUNY) Introduction Humans—homo sapiens—often compare themselves to other species suchRead More →
Feature Column

A natural question in the context of origami mathematics is: What if we make the paper infinitely large? Welcome to the Fold Sara Chari Saint Mary's College of Maryland Adriana Salerno Bates College and the National Science Foundation Origami—from the Japanese words for “fold” (oru) and “paper” (kami)—is the artRead More →

Feature Column

Tic-tac-toe is a very simple game, which even humans can figure out completely by using elementary reasoning, and yet a computer first approaching it would face these huge numbers… Looking ahead Bill Casselman University of British Columbia Looking ahead The question of whether the beginning position … is for oneRead More →
Feature Column

We see a distinct preference for denying the premise of the measurement rather than accepting a measured value of zero… Much Ado About Zero Anil Venkatesh Adelphi University Act NULLA1 It happened at the peak of remote instruction. I had just finished a Zoom session with my calculus students fromRead More →

Feature Column

Willa is an economist and Cara is a mathematician, so together they have decided to turn the problem of which game to play into a separate meta-game. Because they both love numbers, Willa and Cara start by creating matrices... Elliptic curves come to date night Ursula Whitcher Mathematical Reviews (AMS)Read More →

Feature Column

Mathematics helps develop definitions to compare different means to make something better or more fair. But there are inherent limitations, expressed as mathematical impossibility theorems... Impossible? Joe Malkevitch York College (CUNY) Introduction When you got up from sleeping last night, what were the possibilities that you could achieve in theRead More →