Comments on: 16 fun applications of the pigeonhole principle

By: Presh Talwalkar

Presh Talwalkar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:15:48 +0000

Thanks for the correction on problem 10 Erik–this will help keep me sharp

By: Erik

Erik — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:11:26 +0000

For #10, you don’t need to assume there is at least one student from each state in the US, because the 50 possible states still allows for the 120 person per state average. The American assumption you do need to make is that we are taking about students from the U.S.A. (as opposed to other countries in this hemisphere) who are not identified with the territories, Puerto Rico, or D.C. Granted, this is semantics, not mathematics.

By: Mustafa

Mustafa — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:54:01 +0000

I think there is a typo.
“If everyone has at least one friend, then each person has between 1 to n” should be
“If everyone has at least one friend, then each person has between 1 to n-1″
I assume a person can not be friend with himself/herself.

By: Math Trivia:The Pigeonhole Principle & Understanding The World | Simoleon Sense

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:16:37 +0000

[...] Here’s a light-hearted trivia post for the Thanksgiving holiday. Click Here To Read About The Remaining Trivia. [...]

By: iamreddave

iamreddave — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:31:04 +0000

There is someone in the world that when they drink everyone in the world drinks. The Drinker paradox by Smullyan.