Marshall University Math Colloquium
Smith Hall 509
John L. Drost
“Addition Chains”
Abstract: If n is a positive integer, an addition chain for
n is a list of numbers beginning with 1 and ending with n so that each number
is the sum of two previous numbers in the list.
For example, an addition chain for 15 is 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 14, 15, which
has 6 links, but another is 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 15 which
has 5 links. Given n, what is the
shortest chain for it?
Snacks will be served.
Next Colloquium: Friday, October
10,