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number theory

Art for "Mathematicians Discover the Perfect Way to Multiply"
number theory

Mathematicians Discover the Perfect Way to Multiply

By Kevin Hartnett
April 11, 2019
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By chopping up large numbers into smaller ones, researchers have rewritten a fundamental mathematical speed limit.

Abstractions blog

Sum-of-Three-Cubes Problem Solved for ‘Stubborn’ Number 33

By John Pavlus
March 26, 2019
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A number theorist with programming prowess has found a solution to 33 = x³ + y³ + z³, a much-studied equation that went unsolved for 64 years.

Art for "Smaller Is Better: Why Finite Number Systems Pack More Punch"
Abstractions blog

Smaller Is Better: Why Finite Number Systems Pack More Punch

By Kevin Hartnett
February 11, 2019
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Recent progress on the “sum product” problem recalls a celebrated mathematical result that revealed the power of miniature number systems.

number theory

How a Strange Grid Reveals Hidden Connections Between Simple Numbers

By Kevin Hartnett
February 6, 2019
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A graduate student has helped illuminate a long-suspected connection between addition and multiplication.

Illustration of lock with polynomials surrounding it
Abstractions blog

Mathematicians Seal Back Door to Breaking RSA Encryption

By Kevin Hartnett
December 17, 2018
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Digital security depends on the difficulty of factoring large numbers. A new proof shows why one method for breaking digital encryption won’t work.

Art for "In the Universe of Equations, Virtually All Are Prime"
number theory

In the Universe of Equations, Virtually All Are Prime

By Kevin Hartnett
December 10, 2018
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Equations, like numbers, cannot always be split into simpler elements.

Abstractions blog

New Proof Shows Infinite Curves Come in Two Types

By Kevin Hartnett
November 7, 2018
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Alexander Smith’s work on the Goldfeld conjecture reveals fundamental characteristics of elliptic curves.

number theory

Without a Proof, Mathematicians Wonder How Much Evidence Is Enough

By Kevin Hartnett
October 31, 2018
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A new statistical model appears to undermine long-held assumptions in number theory. How much should it be trusted when all that really matters is proof?

Art for "Titans of Mathematics Clash Over Epic Proof of ABC Conjecture"
number theory

Titans of Mathematics Clash Over Epic Proof of ABC Conjecture

By Erica Klarreich
September 20, 2018
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Two mathematicians have found what they say is a hole at the heart of a proof that has convulsed the mathematics community for nearly six years.


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