Maths problem...

Caporegime
OP
Joined
29 Jan 2008
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58,912
Your post
What does 2 + 2 equal?

The reason it is nothing.

Because it is not an equation. Therefore it is not a maths problem.

Debatable... you can find many such "maths problems" presented to people (or rather small children) learning the basics of addition, perhaps even set as homework... a whole list of sets of integers to add together etc..

2 + 7 =
1 + 5 =

etc...

In b4 “muh axioms”... "well if you assume this base then actually 2 + 2 = ...", "lets redefine what 2 represents and redefine addition, checkmate bigot", "lets assume we're rounding to the nearest integer, there can ba a situation where 2 + 2 = 5" etc..etc..

AgDnEgJ.png

(just to be clear the above image isn't directed at you per se - that would be rather mean as you've been perfectly civil - I'm paraphrasing some of the examples others have used - this whole 2 + 2 = 5 "debate" has generated on social media - it has been quite cringe worthy to watch simply because of where it started... )
 

RxR

RxR

Soldato
Joined
16 Aug 2019
Posts
3,296
Location
Australia
2 + 2 equals:

3 (arith symbols)
4 symbols (if you include the term "equal" as a single symbol)
4 by the arbitrary* (but accepted) rules of arith.

*see Russell & Whitehead; Principia Mathematica, for the statement of arbitrariness.
 
Soldato
Joined
12 Jul 2007
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Location
Stoke/Norfolk
"There are 4 lights" :D

On the other side, just a warning to those that may currently feel all "woke" by arguing the answer should be 5, you will be amongst the first against the wall if Communism ever did take over, because in every single Communist coup the "educated/artistic/protestors" were always purged, always, no exception!
 

RxR

RxR

Soldato
Joined
16 Aug 2019
Posts
3,296
Location
Australia
"There are 4 lights" :D

On the other side, just a warning to those that may currently feel all "woke" by arguing the answer should be 5, you will be amongst the first against the wall if Communism ever did take over, because in every single Communist coup the "educated/artistic/protestors" were always purged, always, no exception!

There are no real prospects of double-duncing taking over imo. The laws of nature are against that form of popular conceit.
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2012
Posts
4,284
I've now woken up and learned 2+2=5.

I demand those who lied when I was growing up and said it was 4 be placed in jail for life.
 
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