Jerusalem Mathematics Colloquium




Thursday, 11th March 2004, 4:00 pm
Mathematics Building, Lecture Hall 2





Professor Hillel Furstenberg
(Hebrew University)

"The Dynamics of {(3/2)^n mod 1}"


Abstract: Ideas from dynamics have had a certain degree of success in problems of diophantine approximation. After a brief discussion of some successes, we shall discuss a "dynamical" approach a longstanding open question: Does |(3/2)^n-m|<\epsilon have a solution in natural numbers m,n? (Of course, you can replace 3/2 by any p/q>1.)

We will be led to a variety of topics: cellular automata, Hausdorff dimension, algebraic functions over finite fields, intersection of "nice" fractals, etc.

The lecture will pose many problems and provide few solutions.



Light refreshments will be served in the faculty lounge at 3:30.




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