Ivars Peterson

All Stories by Ivars Peterson

  1. Math

    Randomness, Risk, and Financial Markets

    A novel measure of disorder in a sequence of numbers can provide insights into financial markets.

  2. Math

    Proof by Computer

    Using computers to help prove theorems raises question about checking proofs.

  3. Math

    Euler’s Sums of Powers

    Investigating sums of powers has a long history, going back to Fermat and Euler.

  4. Math

    Sunlight Speckle

    Lasers are not the only light sources that can produce a speckle pattern on a rough surface.

  5. Math

    Flight of the Bumblebee

    The notion that scientists proved bumblebees can't fly has a long legacy.

  6. Math

    College Football, Rankings, and Wandering Monkeys

    The system for ranking college football teams to see who plays for the national championship has flaws.

  7. Math

    More Progressive Primes

    The first sequence consisting of 23 prime numbers in arithmetic progression has been discovered.

  8. Math

    A Better Distorted View

    The mathematics used to describe diffusion can also be used to generate maps based on population data.

  9. Math

    Floating Bodies

    An extension of work by Archimedes on the stability of floating bodies leads to some insights into the behavior of icebergs and other structures.

  10. Math

    Math Olympiad in Athens

    A team from the United States placed second in this year's International Mathematical Olympiad.

  11. Math

    Math Olympiad in Athens

    A team from the United States placed second in this year's International Mathematical Olympiad.

  12. Math

    Math Olympiad in Athens

    A team from the United States placed second in this year's International Mathematical Olympiad.