Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-06-17
a Noted Mathematician.

SOME TOUGH PROBLEMS FOR SOLUTION.
The Staunton Military Academy has been
greatly favored in being able toretain SO long
the services OF Prof. G.. B. N. Zerr, A. M,
as teacher of the advanced classes in Mathe-
MATES and Chemistry. His engrosslng
student IS life has caused him to live very
much retired, so much so that perhaps not
more than score OF two of people outside
of the Academy know him even by sight.
But the few who have had the privilege OF
knowing his remarkable gifts as mathe-
matician and are personally acquainted
with the great success that has attended
his instruction of young men, have the con-
viction that the great privilege the S. M.
A. has enjoyed cannot in the nature of the
| case continue much longer, and that larg-
Ell field and ampler opportunities must soon
claim him from us.
Prof. Zerr, who is not yet 30 years old,
is known by name more extensively in Eng
land than in this country, as his labors as
a mathematician have been devoted to
periodical published in London, the Educa-
tional Times (monthly) which has math-
ematical department. In this, problems OF
the most abstruse and intricate nature
have from time to time during the last %
years been proposed for solution from all
parts of the world. A number of these
never received any solution, and it has been
upon these unsolved problems that Prof.
Zerr has been devoting his spare hours.
Such world renowned mathematicianS as
Cayley of Cambridge, and Sylvester OF Ok
ford are contributors. Some of the prob
lens solved by Prof. Zerr had remained as
long as Is and 20 years unsolved. Every
six months the London magazine issues
what is called an appendix of about 200
pages, devoted exclusively to mathematics
and the solutions of the hitherto unsolved
problems. The editor in letter, which
| we have read, alludes in the most cOmpli-
mentary manner to his solutions and says
complaints have been made that too much
space has been accorded Prof. Zerr's work,
but the editor goes on to say that ''your So
lutions just received are better than ever,
your appendix will be the finest 1 have ever
had in hand';; he sends him some additional
problems and says: s'Y GU will find among
them some good ones in the subject where
of you are so great master.'
The region of mathematics to which this
work is devoted, is SO far above the ordina-
ry range of mathematician that not more
than so copies are ever published. AS sam
pies of those the Professor has solved we
will give several which if any of our read
ers are anxious to tackle they may do SO.
Our columns will be open to their solutions
"Find two integral numbers whose sum,
difference, and difference of their squares
shall each be a square, cube, and fourth
power; and also the product of the nine
rootes Of these powers shall be square,
cube, and fourth power"
''Two points are taken at random on the
surface of sphere, on the opposite sides Of
fixed great circle; find the average dis
lance between them"
Find the whole length Of the arc envel-
oped by the directrix Of an ellipse rolling
along straight line during complete rev.
olution; and find the eccentriclty in order
that the curve may have two cusps."
At the recent athletic contests of the S.
M. A., the boys after much persuasion in
duced the Prof. to wear some Of the medals
(22 in number) he had won in his college
and er-collegiate contests. 1t is perhaps
the knowledge of his being such success
full athlete coupled with the fact of unri-
vailed power as teacher, that soon wins
from his pupils the profoundest respect
which is seen in their unvarying good be-
haviour in his presence.
Conference Of Lutheran Sunday School
Workers Called.
A meeting was held at Christ Lutheran
church yesterday morning Of the represen-
tatives of the Lutheran Sunday schools of
AupuSta county presided over by Mr. G..