Season 1 · Episode 36
Audio Edition: How a Problem About Pigeons Powers Complexity Theory
In a packed stadium with 30,000 seats, some attendees must have the same four-digit password, or PIN, for their bank cards. That’s because of a mathematical theorem that has spurred progress throughout computer science.
December 4, 20259m 14s
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Show Notes
When pigeons outnumber pigeonholes, some birds must double up. This obvious statement — and its inverse — have deep connections to many areas of math and computer science.
The story How a Problem About Pigeons Powers Complexity Theory first appeared on Quanta Magazine.