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+---- Thread: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity (/Thread-Mathematics-The-Absurdity-of-Infinity)
[Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - Eclipse - 04-15-2015
This thread was inspired by the so-called, self-proclaimed, @Master, here.
Infinity. What a concept. The biggest misconception about infinity, is that it is a number. It's not. It's just an idea, a concept, to describe something that is endless. We have a habit of using it where mathematics breaks down and makes no sense.
One thing to note about infinity is that, because it's endless, all types of infinities are the same size. There's an infinite number of numbers in-between 0 and 1, but the number of numbers in-between 0 and 1,000,000 is the same. This is why the concept discussed by @Master actually works.
Basically, you can remove as many numbers as you want from an infinite series, and it'd still be the same size.
Here's a paradox: if you want to get from point X to point Y, you must first travel half the distance, but before you travel that, you must travel half, and so on and so forth until infinity... How would you ever move? The answer is quite simple: each move takes proportionally less time, so this makes it possible to travel at a constant speed.
Here's a random equation to get your head around. It supposedly proves that 1 = 2. See if you can find where we went wrong. I'm not going to ask you for the answer since it's available on Google. Do yourself a favor and try to solve it yourself before you search the answer.
a = b
a^2 = ab
a^2 - b^2 = ab - b^2
(a - b)(a + b) = b(a - b)
(a - b)(a + b) = b(a - b)
(a + b) = b
a = b, so '(a+b)=b' = 'a + a = a'
2a = a, so 2 = 1
RE: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - ねこまっしぐら - 04-17-2015
I think there's a Numberphile episode on this.
RE: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - Inori - 04-17-2015
Awesome piece of information but my brain hurts... Definitely should've read this after my coffee.
RE: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - ねこまっしぐら - 04-17-2015
(04-17-2015, 12:53 PM)Touka Wrote: Awesome piece of information but my brain hurts... Definitely should've read this after my coffee.
This video pretty much sums up what the original poster is saying.
RE: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - Losi - 04-17-2015
This doesn't make sense. (a - b)(a + b) = a^2+ab-ba-b^2 Just use the FOIL method.
RE: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - Eclipse - 04-17-2015
(04-17-2015, 06:45 PM)Losi Wrote: This doesn't make sense. (a - b)(a + b) = a^2+ab-ba-b^2 Just use the FOIL method.
That doesn't work. You're multiplying both sides by the same thing, so they cancel out. You're close though.
RE: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - Cressi - 04-17-2015
(04-17-2015, 05:47 AM)Otaku Nigga Wrote: I think there's a Numberphile episode on this.
There is, because <3 SingingBanana
Anyways, fantastic, lovingly confusing post ^^ Looking forward to more of these ^^
RE: [Mathematics] The Absurdity of Infinity - Losi - 04-18-2015
(04-17-2015, 07:42 PM)Eclipse Wrote: That doesn't work. You're multiplying both sides by the same thing, so they cancel out. You're close though.
Well fuck. I tried. Looks like I derped my math skills up.