A number set \(M\) contains \(2003\) distinct positive numbers, such that for any three distinct elements \(a, b, c\) in \(M\), the number \(a^2 + bc\) is rational. Prove that we can choose a natural number \(n\) such that for any \(a\) in \(M\) the number \(a\sqrt{n}\) is rational.
a) A square of area 6 contains three polygons, each of area 3. Prove that among them there are two polygons that have an overlap of area no less than 1.
b) A square of area 5 contains nine polygons of area 1. Prove that among them there are two polygons that have an overlap of area no less than \(\frac{1}{9}\).
Anna is waiting for the bus. Which event is most likely?
\(A =\{\)Anna waits for the bus for at least a minute\(\}\),
\(B = \{\)Anna waits for the bus for at least two minutes\(\}\),
\(C = \{\)Anna waits for the bus for at least five minutes\(\}\).
Peter and 9 other people play such a game: everyone rolls a dice. The player receives a prize if he or she rolled a number that no one else was able to roll.
a) What is the probability that Peter will receive a prize?
b) What is the probability that at least someone will receive a prize?
An incredible legend says that one day Stirling was considering the numbers of Stirling of the second kind. During his thoughtfulness, he threw 10 regular dice on the table. After the next throw, he suddenly noticed that in the dropped combination of points there were all of the numbers from 1 to 6. Immediately Stirling reflected: what is the probability of such an event? What is the probability that when throwing 10 dice each number of points from 1 to 6 will drop out on at least one die?
A hostess bakes a cake for some guests. Either 10 or 11 people can come to her house. What is the smallest number of pieces she needs to cut the cake into (in advance) so that it can be divided equally between 10 and 11 guests?
Today you saw two infinitely long buses with seats numbered as \(1,2,3,...\) carrying infinitely many guests each arriving at the full hotel. How do you accommodate everyone?
Now there are finitely many infinitely long buses with seats numbered as \(1,2,3,...\) carrying infinitely many guests each arriving at the full hotel. Now what do you do?
How about infinitely many very long buses with seats numbered \(1,2,3...\), each carrying infinitely many guests, all arriving at the hotel. Assume for now that the hotel is empty. But that seems like a lot of guests to accommodate. What should you do?
The whole idea of problems with Hilbert’s Hotel is about assigning numbers to elements of an infinite set. We say that a set of items is countable if and only if we can give all the items of the set as gifts to the guests at the Hilbert’s hotel, and each guest gets at most one gift. In other words, it means that we can assign a natural number to every item of the set. Evidently, the set of all the natural numbers is countable: we gift the number \(n\) to the guest in room \(n\).
The set of all integers, \(\mathbb{Z}\), is also countable. We gift the number \(n\) to the guest in room \(n\). Then we ask everyone to take their gift and move to the room double their original number. Rooms with odd numbers are now free (\(1, 3, 5, 7, \dots\)). We fill these rooms with guests from an infinite bus and gift the number \(-k\) to the guest in room \(2k+1\). Yes, that’s right: the person in the first room will be gifted the number \(0\).
Prove now that the set of all positive rational numbers, \(\mathbb{Q}^+\), is also countable. Recall that a rational number can be represented as a fraction \(\frac{p}{q}\) where the numbers \(p\) and \(q\) are coprime.