2017-06-15: Stuart Gale (MSP)

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:51:42 +0000

Stuart Gale (MSP)

Informal introduction to knot theory and the unknotting problem

Abstract

This is an informal talk on the interesting properties I've found when playing with the unknotting problem (knot simplification moves that help to establish whether any given knot is a loop in complicated disguise, or something really knotted).

I'll discuss the syntax that I've used for annotating knots that leads to a(n almost) syntax based method for unknotting, but that hints further at unknotting in a more interesting way by using an unintentional property of the syntax.

I'll present some examples of the problems with representing knots and how the syntax and reduction rules help, in my opinion, to make unknotting more tangible.

2017-06-15 14:00:00 UTC
LT1310