The Chicken Nugget Theorem, AKA the Postage Stamp Problem, states that for any two relatively prime positive integers \(m,n\), the greatest integer that cannot be written in the form \(am + bn\) for nonnegative integers \(a, b\) is \(\ mn-m-n\). (AoPS definition).
So, let's say you worked at a shop that sold cookies in packets of and . What would be the largest number of cookies that you couldn't buy?
Ans: cookies.
Origin:
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
McDonalds had sold Chicken McNuggets in packets of and . Some wise person wondered what was the largest number of chicken nuggets that one couldn't buy. Later, the answer was found to be McNuggets. And thus, the Chicken McNugget Theorem had been formed.
~Brian
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Comments
Interesting. I didn't know that McDonalds had branches in other galaxies.
As an exercise, try to prove the theorem.
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Considering that Dominos plans to open branch on the moon, I would not be surprised if McDonalds has branches on the Death Star. Those stormtroopers must have something to eat.
Frobenius numbers?
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Precisely. The chicken mcnugget theorem is a popularized version of frobenius though.
That's amazing.
Then they decided to add 4 and 6 number of nuggets in a packet. So, what do I do? (weep...)
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Hah! They still cannot sell 151 nuggets!
Hypothetically, if they sold two packs of 2 and 2 (sounds odd, but yeah) then according to the theorem you can't buy 0 nuggets. But the actual answer is 1(obviously)
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the two numbers has to be relatively prime to each other.
Ah..Thanks, my bad.
I feel sorry for McD... They will never be able to sell 151 nuggets by and large...
Applied math!
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151 can be made, it is 67+9+205, instead 43 cannot be made.
This is awesome..