

Schoolboy cracks age-old maths problem - NonEUCitizen
http://www.thelocal.de/education/20120523-42687.html

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MichelG
Here : [http://jugend-forscht-
sachsen.de/2012/teilnehmer/fachgebiet/...](http://jugend-forscht-
sachsen.de/2012/teilnehmer/fachgebiet/id/5)

Analytical solution of two fundamental unsolved problems of particle dynamics

Two problems in classical mechanics have withstood several centuries of
mathematical endeavor. The first problem is therefore to calculate the
trajectory of a body thrown at an angle in the Earth's gravitational field and
Newtonian flow resistance. The underlying power law was discovered by Newton
(17th century). The second problem is the objective description of a particle-
wall collision under Hertzian collision force and linear damping. The
collision energy was derived in 1858 by Hertz, a linear damping force has been
known since Stokes (1850).

This paper has so far only the analytical solution of this approximate or
numerical targets for the problems solved. First, the two problems are solved
fully analytically. For the first problem will be investigated further using
the analytical solution, the physical behavior of the system and set up
outline solutions for generalized models. For the second problem is carried
out in order to increase efficiency and convergence control a semi-analytical
optimization. Finally, the analytical results are compared with numerical
solutions so as to validate accuracy and convergence to numerically.

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Strilanc
Terrible article. The only included details about the solved problem ("ball
bouncing off wall" and "posed by Newton") are so vague that searching them
doesn't bring up the problem. The entirety of the article might as well have
been the title.

Does anyone know what was the solved problem?

~~~
ckluis
Agreed. A real news agency should at least cite a name or link to the problem.
Dumb article.

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leephillips
The article this is taken from is

[http://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article106354044/16-jaehriges...](http://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article106354044/16-jaehriges-
Mathegenie-loest-uraltes-Zahlenraetsel.html)

It's in German, which I don't read. There is some talk of the student finding
an analytic solution to a differential equation that heretofore had been only
approximated, but I'm still in the dark about what the central mystery of a
ball bouncing off a wall might be.

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iosctr
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a29r8eqTPOs>

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Geee
What exactly is the problem, and how did he solve it?

