Speaker: Art Benjamin, Harvey Mudd College
Title: Combinatorial Trigonometry, Alternating Sums, and a Method to DIE For
Time: 1:30 PM, Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Place: Malott 224
Abstract:
Many trigonometric identities, including the Pythagorean theorem, have combinatorial proofs. Furthermore, some combinatorial problems have trigonometric solutions. All of these problems can be reduced to alternating sums, and are attacked by a technique we call D.I.E. (Description, Involution, Exception). This technique offers new insights to identities involving binomial coefficients, Fibonacci numbers, derangements, and Chebyshev polynomials.