Vignesh Jagathese : The Impossible Fruit Problem: 99% of People Can't Solve This!

Posted by Josh Fletcher , part of the MATH Club.

At

Oct. 16, 2023, 1 p.m.

In

636 SEO

Abstract

Have you ever been sent a math problem meme by your friends and family? Did it have fruits in a system of equations, or a long line of equalities that conclusively proves that 2 = 1? Perhaps there was a hidden divide by zero, or maybe there were confusing parenthesis placements, or lack thereof. Regardless, there is always a taunt at the beginning of the problem claiming that "99% of people can't solve this!". As mathematicians, you could see the tricks and solve those problems with ease. In today's math club talk, I'll talk about a problem that lives up to this 99% claim, without the trickery common to the others. Seemingly an innocent question that looks like all the other challenges you've seen, solving this problem will take us on a mathematical journey involving number theory, elliptic curves, abstract algebra, projective and birational geometry, topology, and more. In the end, we'll discuss similar problems and common obstacles to solving them.