Sequences of Integers

While I was doing a bit of personal research on sudoku puzzles today, I tripped over the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, maintained by Neil J. A. Sloane, an AT&T Fellow.

You might wonder for a moment what an "on-line encyclopedia of integer sequences" might be, but the answer is indeed as obvious as it sounds. The database, at the moment that I'm writing, contains 114873 integer sequences, series of numbers that arise in some mathematical context or another, generally where there's some formula or recipe for generating the next number in the sequence given one or more of the numbers that will precede it.

The results of a sequence search arrive with a gratifying amount of information packed onto the page: generating functions, algorithms for use with math packages, some history of the sequence, references to literature about the sequences. Oh, it appeals mightily to my archivist-type obsession for gathering up complete information about things, usually totally unimportant things.

Well, suppose that it sounds too good not to investigate, but you can't think of a sequence to try. No fear! Mr. Sloane has provided a "demo", a sequence of pages that show off aspects of the database and give plenty of ideas for one's own searches.

Why am I mentioning it? Well, because it's cool, and I needed to make a note of it someplace, and because I know there are some others like me who can be mesmerized by the patterns of infiinite variety (and infinite interest) one can make from whole numbers.

[4 April 2006 Update: I've added the "e" to Dr. Sloane's name, per the comment. Ooops! As one whose name is frequently misspelled, I extend my humble apologies to Dr. Sloane for my error.]

Posted on January 30, 2006 at 19.07 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Curious Stuff, The Art of Conversation

2 Responses

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  1. Written by Neil Sloane
    on Monday, 3 April 2006 at 23.50
    Permalink

    There's an "e" at the end of my name!

  2. Written by Bearcastle Blog
    on Thursday, 6 April 2006 at 19.29
    Permalink

    One Post, Two …

    Okay, check out this cosmic confluence.

    You may — or more likely, will not — remember my post from some time back, "Sequences of Integers", about Neil1 J.A.Sloane's fascinating project, the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences2 with over 1…

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