Vol. 59 No. 1 (2011)
Research Article

A Note on the Names of Mathematical Problems and Puzzles

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  • Frank Nuessel
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/002777311X12959744792571

Published 2011-03-01

Copyright (c) 2011 Maney Publishing

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Abstract

This note examines selectively the names given to mathematical problems, puzzles, conjectures, and equations. It shows that many derive from the surnames of their inventors. Others, however, are associated with narratives that describe some salient aspect of the problem or puzzle.

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References

  1. Danesi, Marcel. 2004. The Liar Paradox and The Towers of Hanoi: The Ten Greatest Math Puzzles of All Time. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley and Sons.
  2. Devlin, Keith. 2002. The Millennium Problems: The Seven Greatest Unsolved Mathematical Puzzles of Our Time. New York: Basic Books.