UIC Graduate Student Seminar
Friday September 7
3:00 pm
636 SEO
Speaker: Brayton Gray
Title: The Ham Sandwich Theorem
Abstract:
Topology concerns itself with qualitative questions rather than specific
solutions. A good example of this is the intermediate value theorem from
calculus: if f is continuous, "a< b", "f(a)<0", and "f(b)>0", then for some x
between a and b, f(x)=0. The main topological feature here is
continuity. We imagine moving x from a to b and watching
f(x) move. Suppose we have a piece of ham on a plate and we would like to
cut it in half. The intermediate value theorem tells you that there is a
place to cut so that each side will be half. Now suppose that you have
a piece of ham and a hunk of cheese and a bit of bread all arranged in
some arbitrary way in front of you. Is there a way with one chop to split
this so that each side has the same amount of ham, the same amount of
cheese, and the same amount of bread? Come and find out, and how topology
shows the answer.