Author Archives: Avery Carr

About Avery Carr

Avery Carr is a senior analyst and past senior editor for the American Mathematical Society Grad Blog. He and his wife, Alison, live in Olive Branch, MS.

The Infinitude of Mersenne Primes

A mystery in mathematics is the driving force of a mathematician’s ambition.  The thought of discovering something unique and far-reaching brings excitement that demands a mix of creative thought and raw logic.   Throughout history, mathematicians with various backgrounds have exploited … Continue reading

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A Neutrino’s Mass: Challenging Physicists and….Mathematicians?

Some puzzles exist beyond the confinement of pure mathematical thought and forge their way into the realm of physical reality.   In 1930, the theoretical physicist Wolfgang Pauli brought one such conundrum to light.  In a letter to famed physicist Lise … Continue reading

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The Weak and Strong Goldbach Conjectures

In 1742 the German mathematician Christian Goldbach wrote a letter to Leonhard Euler proposing two problems that, until recently, have seen little progress.  In modern terms, the problems are identified as either the Weak or Strong Goldbach Conjecture.  The Strong … Continue reading

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Russell Was Not Naive

As one peers at a radiating metropolis of buildings piercing the night sky, it is easy to imagine the thought and engineering that produced such a modern wonder.    The intricate detail and unique designs appeal to the artistic senses.  Before … Continue reading

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The Conjecture of Marie-Sophie Germain

Numbers pervade our lives in many different venues.  Prime numbers, in particular, weave their way into the very fabric of our daily existence.   From surfing the internet to pseudo-random number generators, primes are found ever present behind a multitude of … Continue reading

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