Overhang

Authors: Paterson, Mike; Zwick, Uri

Source: American Mathematical Monthly, Volume 116, Number 1, January 2009 , pp. 19-44(26)

Publisher: Mathematical Association of America

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Abstract:

How far off the edge of a table can we reach by stacking n identical, homogeneous, frictionless blocks? A classical solution achieving a logarithmic overhang was widely believed to be optimal. We show, however, that this classical solution is exponentially far from optimality.

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Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4169/193009709X469797

Publication date: 2009-01-01

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American Mathematical Monthly publishes articles, notes, and other features about mathematics and the profession. AMM readers span a broad spectrum of mathematical interests, and include professional mathematicians as well as students of mathematics at all collegiate levels.
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