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Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics

The Mean Sum Of Squared Linking Numbers Of Random Piecewise-Linear Embeddings Of $K_N$, Yasmin Aguillon, Xingyu Cheng, Spencer Eddins, Pedro Morales Sep 2023

The Mean Sum Of Squared Linking Numbers Of Random Piecewise-Linear Embeddings Of $K_N$, Yasmin Aguillon, Xingyu Cheng, Spencer Eddins, Pedro Morales

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal

DNA and other polymer chains in confined spaces behave like closed loops. Arsuaga et al. \cite{AB} introduced the uniform random polygon model in order to better understand such loops in confined spaces using probabilistic and knot theoretical techniques, giving some classification on the mean squared linking number of such loops. Flapan and Kozai \cite{flapan2016linking} extended these techniques to find the mean sum of squared linking numbers for random linear embeddings of complete graphs $K_n$ and found it to have order $\Theta(n(n!))$. We further these ideas by inspecting random piecewise-linear embeddings of complete graphs and give introductory-level summaries of the ideas …


Mathematical Magic: A Study Of Number Puzzles, Nicasio M. Velez Jan 2021

Mathematical Magic: A Study Of Number Puzzles, Nicasio M. Velez

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal

Within this paper, we will briefly review the history of a collection of number puzzles which take the shape of squares, polygons, and polyhedra in both modular and nonmodular arithmetic. Among other results, we develop construction techniques for solutions of both Modulo and regular Magic Squares. For other polygons in nonmodular arithmetic, specifically of order 3, we present a proof of why there are only four Magic Triangles using linear algebra, disprove the existence of the Magic Tetrahedron in two ways, and utilizing the infamous 3-SUM combinatorics problem we disprove the existence of the Magic Octahedron.


The Name Tag Problem, Christian Carley Nov 2020

The Name Tag Problem, Christian Carley

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal

The Name Tag Problem is a thought experiment that, when formalized, serves as an introduction to the concept of an orthomorphism of $\Zn$. Orthomorphisms are a type of group permutation and their graphs are used to construct mutually orthogonal Latin squares, affine planes and other objects. This paper walks through the formalization of the Name Tag Problem and its linear solutions, which center around modular arithmetic. The characterization of which linear mappings give rise to these solutions developed in this paper can be used to calculate the exact number of linear orthomorphisms for any additive group Z/nZ, which is demonstrated …