<p>I'm looking for a paper by Edsger Dijkstra (which I've read before) in which he talks about a certain mathematical argument that I can't quite remember what it was, but it was an elementary strategy to perhaps fill up a checkerboard or something.  Right now it makes me feel that perhaps that argument was solving the problem of tiling a <span class="math-container">$2^n$</span> by <span class="math-container">$2^n$</span> courtyard with a statute in the middle (occupying one square)---but I don't remember what it was, so I can't be sure.  Instead of talking about a statue, I think he talked about removing a square from the checkerboard.  Also, I don't recall that proof being by induction.</p>
<p>What I remember is that he said something to the effect of</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Don't worry. This is the type of mathematics that you can do &quot;with your hands in your pockets&quot;.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm putting in quotes only the words that I would more firmly believe we would in the paper.  For instance, instead of &quot;type of mathematics&quot;, he could've said &quot;kind of mathematics&quot;.  But I have to even put my more firm belief in check because search engines are not revealing this paper to me using these keywords.</p>
<p>I also remember that it was an EWD-paper and it was perhaps not a late one because I believe I was reading them all in chronological order and I did not get too far.  (But it's possible I would have read a late one out of order for some reason.)</p>
<p><strong>What paper was it?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-23T11:46:28.027Z
The second google hit I get for “dijkstra hands in pockets” is https://www.cs.utexas.edu/~EWD/transcriptions/EWD10xx/EWD1036.html .
Emil Jeřábek
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-24T00:03:43.603Z
Thank you!  How did I go wrong?  I insisted that I was recalling correctly the passage "with your hands in your pockets", but those were not the right words and I never really tried less keywords.  Thanks!
user72699
<reference-request>
In what paper did Dijkstra say "with your hands in your pockets"?
user72699
# In what paper did Dijkstra say "with your hands in your pockets"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-05-23)

I'm looking for a paper by Edsger Dijkstra (which I've read before) in which he talks about a certain mathematical argument that I can't quite remember what it was, but it was an elementary strategy to perhaps fill up a checkerboard or something. Right now it makes me feel that perhaps that argument was solving the problem of tiling a $2^n$ by $2^n$ courtyard with a statute in the middle (occupying one square)---but I don't remember what it was, so I can't be sure. Instead of talking about a statue, I think he talked about removing a square from the checkerboard. Also, I don't recall that proof being by induction.

What I remember is that he said something to the effect of

> Don't worry. This is the type of mathematics that you can do "with your hands in your pockets".

I'm putting in quotes only the words that I would more firmly believe we would in the paper. For instance, instead of "type of mathematics", he could've said "kind of mathematics". But I have to even put my more firm belief in check because search engines are not revealing this paper to me using these keywords.

I also remember that it was an EWD-paper and it was perhaps not a late one because I believe I was reading them all in chronological order and I did not get too far. (But it's possible I would have read a late one out of order for some reason.)

**What paper was it?**

**Tags:** reference-request
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The second google hit I get for “dijkstra hands in pockets” is https://www.cs.utexas.edu/~EWD/transcriptions/EWD10xx/EWD1036.html .  
> **username_0**: Thank you!  How did I go wrong?  I insisted that I was recalling correctly the passage "with your hands in your pockets", but those were not the right words and I never really tried less keywords.  Thanks!  

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## 0 answers

