Troy University Department of Mathematics

08/28/2026

A square is divided into eight rectangles of equal area. One of these rectangles has a side length of 8, as labeled below. What are the lengths of the sides of the square?

08/20/2026

Big thank you to Dr. Noah Trudeau for a super interesting talk on game theory, Nash equilibria, and the Fast and the Furious 🏎️🏎️. Stay tuned for the next math club meeting!! Don't swerve 🏎️😂

08/17/2026

Math Club Pre-Meeting Challenge: The Monkey and Coconuts Problem

Before our Math Club meeting this Wednesday, we have a challenge for you.

Martin Gardner, one of the most influential writers on recreational mathematics, was a fan of the classic Monkey and Coconuts problem. It is a great example of the kind of mathematical thinking that connects naturally to strategy and decision-making.

Here is the challenge:

"Five men and a monkey were shipwrecked on a desert island, and they spent the first day gathering coconuts for food. They piled the coconuts all up together and then went to sleep for the night.

But when they were all asleep, one man woke up, and he thought there might be an argument about dividing the coconuts in the morning, so he decided to take his share. So he divided the coconuts into five piles. He had one coconut left over, and he gave that to the monkey, and he hid his pile and put the rest all back together.

By and by, the next man woke up and did the same thing. And he had one left over, and he gave it to the monkey. And all five of the men did the same thing, one after the other; each one taking a fifth of the coconuts in the pile when he woke up, and each one having one left over for the monkey.

In the morning, they divided what coconuts were left, and they came out in five equal shares plus one coconut (which was, of course, given to the monkey). Each one must have known there were coconuts missing, but each one was guilty as the others, so they didn't say anything. What is the smallest number of coconuts that could have been there in the beginning?"

The challenge is to be the first person to come up with a correct solution on your own. Don't look up the answer or use AI. We want to see your reasoning and how you arrived at the solution.

We will recognize the first person to solve it at our meeting.

Then, come join us for our first Math Club meeting, where our guest speaker, Dr. Noah James Trudeau, Assistant Professor of Economics, will talk about Game Theory and its real-world applications.

Wednesday, August 19
2:00–3:15 PM
JRLH 211
Lewis Hall, Second Floor, facing the main quad

Bring your solution, your questions, and your interest in mathematics. All are welcome.

08/14/2026

05/04/2026

Thank you to all Students, Faculty, and staff who joined us at Troy Fest this year. Lots of fun and interesting presentations were observed. Take a look at some of those who participated.