You can use the digits 1,2,and 3 once only and any mathematical symbols you are aware of, but no symbol is to be used more than once. The challenge is to see if you can make the smallest positive number.

Special rules: You cannot use Euler's number or pi or infinity.

Special thanks to: Rhonda Wendel for Make the most of these digits and for the problem text which was slightly altered.

(In reply to re: This is my Guess........ by levik)

While there is a generalization of the factorial function that extends to fractions, it does not lead to (1/n)! being equated with 1/(n!). In general, x! = Γ(x+1), where Γ() represents the Gamma function. A good discussion is at www.rskey.org/gamma.htm. In the case of (1/9261)!, the result comes out as approximately .999937683957. This is very close to 1 (one), as would be expected since 0! is defined as 1 (one) and 1/9261 is very close to zero.

Posted by Charlie on 2003-04-13 05:48:40