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This book is the final version of a course on algorithmic information theory and the epistemology of mathematics and physics. This is camera-ready copy prepared for publication as a book, but at the last minute I decided to publish it…
Quantum entanglement was first recognized as a feature of quantum mechanics in the famous paper of Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen [18]. Recently it has been realized that quantum entanglement is a key ingredient in quantum computation,…
In this paper we introduce and discuss the sequence of \emph{real numbers} defined as $u_0 \in \mathbb R$ and $u_{n+1} = \Delta(u_n)$ where \begin{equation*} \Delta(x) = \begin{cases} \frac{x}{2} &\text{if }…
An ancient optics problem of Ptolemy, studied later by Alhazen, is discussed. This problem deals with reflection of light in spherical mirrors. Mathematically this reduces to the solution of a quartic equation, which we solve and analyze…
This survey provides a practical and algorithmic perspective on Drinfeld modules over $\mathbb F_q[T]$. Starting with the construction of the Carlitz module, we present Drinfeld modules in any rank and some of their arithmetic properties.…
This article illustrates pedagogy through training in the handling of abstractions. Mental arithmetic is not limited to numerical calculation; one can mentally calculate primitives and simplify analytical expressions. Even if there is…
Hilbert's Foundations of Geometry was perhaps one of the most influential works of geometry in the 20th century and its axiomatics was the first systematic attempt to clear up the logical gaps of the Elements. But does it have gaps of its…
A panoramic view, preceded by a short background of Newtonian mechanics and Maxwellian electrodynamics, is offered on the extent of how Einstein's space-time geometry, believed to be central to an understanding of the structure of the…
The formal structure of the early Einstein's Special Relativity follows the axiomatic deductive method of Euclidean geometry. In this paper we show the deep-rooted relation between Euclidean and space-time geometries that are both linked to…
In this article, I explain why I abandoned my original plan to write a novel about a mathematician proving Fermat's Last Theorem, letting my protagonist solve the entirely fictional Wild Number Problem instead. I enumerate the steps that…
This is the story of the rediscovery of classical three-dimensional geometry, especially the geometry of quadric surfaces, while studying the semigroup $M_2(\mathbb R)$ of linear endomorphisms of a real plane. One of the surfaces that…
In his 1999 preprint "Universal Lie Algebra", P. Vogel put forward a hypothesis on the existence of a universal Lie algebra. Although this hypothesis remains open, it is known that many quantities in Lie theory admit universal descriptions.…
Conway's surreal numbers were aptly named by Knuth. This note examines how far one can get towards implementing surreals and the arithmetic operations on them so that they execute efficiently. Lazy evaluation and recursive data structures…
In the 16th century, Simon Stevin initiated a modern approach to decimal representation of measuring numbers, marking a transition from the discrete arithmetic practised by the Greeks to the arithmetic of the continuum taken for granted…
Prime numbers are one of the most intriguing figures in mathematics. Despite centuries of research, many questions remain still unsolved. In recent years, computer simulations are playing a fundamental role in the study of an immense…
This is a translation of Leonhard Euler's ``De quadratis magicis'' . It is E795 in the Enestrom index. This paper studies how to construct magic squares with certain numbers of cells, in particular 9, 16, 25 and 36. It considers some…
The study examines the relationship between Ball's magic numbers and reverses divisors. These numbers are the source of beautiful and curious properties. Activities related to numbers can be a fun way to motivate mathematics students, while…
Although a precise description of microscopic physical problems requires a full quantum mechanical treatment, physical quantities are generally discussed in terms of classical variables. One exception is quantum entanglement which…
Motivated by the mathematic theory of split-complex numbers (or hyperbolic numbers, also perplex numbers) and the split-quaternion numbers (or coquaternion numbers), we define the notion of split-complex scalar field and the…
In this paper Euler considers the properties of the pentagonal numbers, those numbers of the form $\frac{3n^2 \pm n}{2}$. He recalls that the infinite product $(1-x)(1-x^2)(1-x^3)...$ expands into an infinite series with exponents the…