Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

5-31-2003

Abstract

Many of the problems that mathematicians and computer scientists dearly love have been around for a long time. One such problem is known as the Josephus Problem, named after the first century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. Josephus did not invent the problem. Instead, an event from his life served as the inspiration for the problem statement. Many current books refer to "Mathematical Recreations and Essays" by W. W. Rouse Ball [originally published in 1892] for the problem statement. The problem is quite interesting (and will be solved here). However, the story, as quoted in Bell, is not completely accurate.

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