DIMACS - RUTGERS EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS SEMINAR

Sponsored by the Rutgers University Department of Mathematics and the
Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS)

Co-organizers:

Matthew Russell, Rutgers University, russell2 {at} math [dot] rutgers [dot] edu)

Doron Zeilberger, Rutgers University, zeilberg {at} math [dot] rutgers [dot] edu

Title: 2178 And All That

Speaker: Neil J. A. Sloane, Rutgers University

Date: Thursday, October 10, 2013 5:00pm

Location: Hill Center, Room 705, Rutgers University, Busch Campus, Piscataway, NJ

Abstract:

For integers g >= 2, k >= 2, call a number N a (g,k)-reverse multiple if the reversal of N in base g is equal to k times N. The numbers 1089 and 2178 are the two smallest (10,k)-reverse multiples, their reversals being 9801 = 9x1089 and 8712 = 4x2178. In 1992, A. L. Young introduced certain trees in order to study the problem of finding all (g,k)-reverse multiples. By using modified versions of her trees, which we call Young graphs, we determine the possible values of k for bases g = 2 through 100, and then show how to apply the transfer-matrix method to enumerate the (g,k)-reverse multiples with a given number of base-g digits. These Young graphs are interesting finite directed graphs, whose structure is not at all well understood. The talk will mention William The Conquerer, G. H. Hardy, The Unabomber, Lara Pudwell, and others.

See: http://www.math.rutgers.edu/~russell2/expmath/