Problem Section Author(s): George Berzsenyi, Bla Bajnok, Brad Brock, Bart Goddard and John Rickert Source:

Math Horizons, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Spring 1994), p. 13 Published by: Mathematical Association of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25677965 . Accessed: 23/08/2013 09:41
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Problem
Editor
George Berzsenyi
Rose-Hulman

Section
Associate
Institute of Technology

Editors
and John Rickert,

Bela Bajnok, Gettysburg for College; Brad Brock, Center

Rose-Hulman Communications Research; Bart Goddard Institute ofTechnology.

This section features problems for students of mathematics at the undergraduate and high school levels.We invite them (as well as other mathematicians) to submit detailed well-written solutions as well as problems appropriate at these levels. Ac tive and regular involvement in solving and posing problems is an essential part of mathematical life. Some problems can also lead to deeper research results; several important fields of mathematics owe their existence to initially isolated problems and puzzles. Problem solving is also a lotof fun?consequently, we stronglyencourage our readers tobecome interactive in this
section.

Submissions to this column should be sent to the follow ing address: Math Horizons Problem Section, Box 121, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, 5500 Wabash Ave., Terre

Haute, IN, 47803-3999. They may also be sent electronically, or by either via e-mail (goddard@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu) fax (812-877-3198). Problems to be submitted should be accompanied by solu tions and commentaries about theirorigin. Solutions tobe sub mitted should be on separate sheets, containing the solver's name, mailing address, school affiliation, and academic status (i.e., high school student, undergraduate, etc.). The authors of the problems and solutions to be featured will be named as in the other MAA publications. All submissions will be acknowl edged, but only those solutions which arrive by the deadlines will be considered for publication. We were very pleased with the excellent response to the problems posed in the Premier Issue ofMath Horizons; a complete report on themwill appear
in our next issue.

Proposals
To be considered for publication, solutions to the following problems should be received by June 1, 1994. In the variation on Pascal's Triangle below, Problem 6. the l's on the right were replaced by successive powers of 2. Show that the numbers in the column marked are the successive powers of 4. Problem 9. (Proposed by Dmitry P.Mavlo, Moscow.^ Let Q be a simple closed curve and assume that its length isL. Prove that one can enclose fi within a rectangle of perime terR such that R < y/2L.

1 14 1 1 1 1 8 7 29 6 5

Tl

1 3

2
4 7 8 15 26 31 57 99 120 63 127 16 32 64 128 Problem 10. As exemplified by the formula below, the product of two complex numbers can be computed by (and five additions/ sub performing three multiplications tractions) of real numbers, instead of the usual four mul tiplications (and two additions/subtractions):

11 16 42 64

^\

22

Problem 7. Prove that for every positive integer k, there is a positive integer n such that f(n) = fcn,where

+ L^2J + L^3J + /(?) = L^iJ

where
to x.

+ L^J.

[x\ denotes

the greatest

or integer less than equal

? ? ? = (a + ib)(c+ id) ac bd+ i((a 4- b)(c+ d) ac fed).

Devise a similar formula for multiplying quaternions, us of real ing fewer than the usual sixteen multiplications numbers. (Complex numbers are of the form x+iy, where x and y are real and i2 = ? 1; quaternions are of the form p + iq + jr + ks, where p, q, r, and s are real, i2 = j2 = ? = = i, and ki = fc2= 1, and A;,jk j.)

Problem 8. (Proposed by F. David Hammer, Tandem = = 3,... ,pa?be 2,p2 Computers, Palo Alto, CA.) Let pi all the primes less than or equal to y/n.Exhibit a formula for the number of primes less than or equal to n in terms
ofpi,P2,.--,Pfc.

MathHorizons Spring1994

13

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