ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Golomb Ruler

Ok kiddo, a golomb ruler is a special measuring tool that mathematicians use to measure distances between different points. It's not like a regular ruler that we use at home because it has some special properties.

Firstly, the golomb ruler has a different set of marks on it, they are called "ticks". The ticks are placed in a special way so that no two of them have the same distance between them. This helps mathematicians solve problems where they need to know the exact distance between two points.

So, imagine you have a golomb ruler with 5 ticks on it. You could measure the distance between any two of those ticks, and each measurement would be different. That's because the ruler is designed to have unique distances between each tick.

This kind of ruler is useful in research because it can help find patterns and numbers that are hard to calculate. It is named after the mathematician Solomon Golomb who worked extensively in coding theory.

In conclusion, a golomb ruler is a special ruler that has unique distances between each tick, allowing mathematicians to accurately measure the distance between points in a problem.