Ross Program 2022 Application Problems

ProfsHoarseWailsRoll
This document is one part of the application to the Ross Mathematics Program, and
will remain posted at https://rossprogram.org/students/to-apply from January
through March.
The deadline for applications is March 31, 2022. The Admissions Committee will
start reading applications in April.

Work independently on the problems below. We are interested in seeing how you
approach and explore unfamiliar open-ended math problems, not whether you can
find answers by searching through web sites or books, or by asking other people.
Submit your own work on these problems.
For each problem, explore the situation (with calculations, tables, pictures, etc.),
observe patterns, make some guesses, test the truth of those guesses, and write logical
proofs when possible. Where were you led by your experimenting?
Include your thoughts (but not your scratch-paper) even if you might not have found
a complete solution. If you’ve seen one of the problems before (e.g. in a class or
online), please include a reference along with your solution.
We are not looking for quick answers written in minimal space. Instead, we hope to
see evidence of your explorations, conjectures, proofs, and generalizations written in
a readable format.

The quality of mathematical exposition, the questions you pose,

as well as the correctness and completeness of your solutions to
those questions, are factors in admission decisions.

PDF format is required.

You may type your solutions using LATEX or with a word processor, and then convert
the output to PDF format.
Alternatively, you may scan your solutions from a handwritten paper copy, and con-
vert that file to PDF. (Use dark pencil or pen and write on only one side of the paper.)
Submitting photos of your work is not recommended since file sizes of photos are
often too large. (The Ross system cannot accept files much larger than 5 megabytes.)
Rather than photographs, you might use a “scan” feature on your camera.

1
Problem 1
Let Z denote the set of integers. If m is a positive integer, we write Zm for the system
of “integers modulo m.” Some authors write Z/mZ for that system.
For completeness, we include some definitions here. The system Zm can be represented as the set
{0, 1, . . . , m − 1} with operations ⊕ (addition) and  (multiplication) defined as follows. If a, b are
elements of {0, 1, . . . , m − 1}, define:
a ⊕ b = the element c of {0, 1, . . . , m − 1} such that a + b − c is an integer multiple of m.
a  b = the element d of {0, 1, . . . , m − 1} such that ab − d is an integer multiple of m.

For example, 3 ⊕ 4 = 2 in Z5 , and 3  3 = 1 in Z4 .

To simplify notations (at the expense of possible confusion), we abandon that new notation and write
a + b and ab for the operations in Zm , rather than writing a ⊕ b and a  b.

The sequence of 2-powers is (2n ) = (21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , . . . ).

Evaluating that sequence in Z10 , Z28 , and Z48 , we find
(2n ) = (2, 4, 8, 6, 2, 4, 8, 6, . . . ) (in Z10 ).
(2n ) = (2, 4, 8, 16, 4, 8, 16, . . . ) (in Z28 ).
n
(2 ) = (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 16, 32, . . . ) (in Z48 ).
Compute (2 ) in Zm for several other numbers m. What patterns do you observe?
n

Here are some questions to guide your work.

(a) That sequence (2n ) appears to repeat after a few initial terms.
Why must such repetition occur for every m?

(b) Let ρ(m) be length of the “tail” of terms that occur before the repeating part
begins. For instance, ρ(10) = 0, ρ(28) = 1 and ρ(48) = 3.
For which m does ρ(m) = 0? When does ρ(m) = 1? When does ρ(m) = 2?

(c) Let o(m) be the period (length of the periodic cycle) of the sequence (2n ) in Zm .
For instance, o(10) = 4 and o(28) = 3 and o(48) = 2.
How is o(m) related to o(2m) ? What about o(m) and o(3m) ?
How is o(35) related to o(5) and o(7)?

(d) Make some conjectures about the patterns mentioned in (b) and (c) above.
Investigate other patterns that such sequences in Zm seem to satisfy, and make
some conjectures.
Can you prove some parts of your conjectures?

2
Problem 2
The number systems Z and Zm (for a positive integer m) were defined in the previous
problem. We also use the notations:
Q is the system of rational numbers.
4Z is the set of multiples of 4 in Z. Similarly for 4Z12 .
Consider the following number systems:

Z, Q, 4Z, Z3 , Z8 , Z9 , 4Z12 , Z13 .

One system may be viewed as similar to another in several different ways.

(a) Let’s measure similarity using algebraic properties. First consider the following
sample properties:

(i) If a2 = 1, then a = ±1.

(ii) If 2x = 0, then x = 0.
(iii) If c2 = 0, then c = 0.

Which of the systems above have properties (i), (ii), and/or (iii)?

(b) Formulate another algebraic property and determine which of those systems have
that property.
Write down some additional algebraic properties and investigate them.

(c) In your opinion, which of the listed systems are “most similar” to each another?

3
Problem 3
Rossie is a simple robot in the plane, with Start position at the origin O and facing
the positive x-axis.
An angle θ is entered into Rossie’s memory. Rossie can take only two actions:
S: Rossie steps one meter in the direction Rossie is facing.
R: Rossie stays in place and rotates counterclockwise through angle θ.
Notation: A string of symbols S and R (read from left to right) represents a sequence
of Rossie’s moves. For instance, SRRSS indicates that Rossie steps one meter along
the x-axis, rotates through angle 2θ, and then steps two meters in that new direction.
In the questions below, consider only those sequences that begin with an S.

(a) When θ = 2π/3 = 120◦ , the actions SRSRSR cause Rossie to trace an equilateral
triangle and return to Start.
What path does Rossie trace when θ = 4π/5 = 144◦ ?
Question: For which θ can some sequence of S and R actions
return Rossie to Start?
(Then by repeating that sequence of actions, Rossie will retrace the same path.)

(b) Suppose θ is the angle pictured below, with cos(θ) = −1/3. Note that θ is
approximately 109.47◦ .
y

With this angle θ, explain why the

actions
SSSRSSRSSS
cause Rossie to return to O. θ

Note: Rossie returns to O but is not facing the positive x-axis.

That is: Rossie ends up at O but has not returned to Start.
Question: With that θ, is there some sequence of the actions S and R that
returns Rossie to Start? Justify your answer.

(c) Provide more examples of θ that allow Rossie to return to O but not to Start.
Is there some way to describe all such angles θ ?

(d) Are there some angles θ for which Rossie can never return to O?
Explain your reasoning.