ITA Software's Technical Seminar Series

Talk Topic: Integers and Sequences
Tanya Khovanova, MIT, AMSA
December 16, 2009

Abstract

Have you ever heard of "untouchable numbers"? How about "aspiring numbers"? 

Do you know how "perfect numbers" are connected to Mersenne primes, or how to describe the biggest known prime number? 

Have you ever wondered which is the most famous number sequence? Or which is the most versatile sequence? 

What is the largest amount of money in coins that you can have without being able to make change for a dollar?

What is so special about 1098? Is 42 (The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything) more famous than 47 (the secret Star Trek TNG number)?

I promise you the answers to all these questions and more. We will also go over key internet resources for numbers so that you'll be able to discover new truths about your favorite numbers.  

Bio

I received my silver and gold medals at IMO when I was a child. I earned my Ph.D. in math from Moscow State University. Two years ago I resigned from Alphatech/BAW systems to pursue a career in math entertainment.

Currently, I am a visiting scholar at MIT and a math coach at AMSA (Advanced Math and Sciences Academy Charter School). Find out more at my math blog.