What's the hardest mathematical thing you know?

Castiel · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:37

Krono5 said:
1+1 = 2

Why does 1+1=2?

Nitefly · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:38

13844502x4

Ironically, it's probably true.

anything I don't mind · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:39

algebra and fractions and geometry all in one sum with square roots percentages and pie, i stopped before sin and tan and cos

Castiel · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:40

I like pie......especially raspberry.

Nitefly · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:41

groen said:
algebra and fractions and geometry all in one sum with square roots percentages and pie, i stopped before sin and tan and cos

I'm sorry but nothing is hard if it involves pie. Pie is only a good thing.

cheechm · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:41

Complex (imaginary) numbers was quite confusing.

AndrewNR · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:45

Castiel said:
Why does 1+1=2?

Cos humans say so.

Furthest I've gone is differentiation and integration.

Forgotton most if it, doing stuff function of x and all that funky stuff.

msmalls74 · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:56

Bending moments ie working out stress in a beam in a say a suspension bridge, they were all a bit of a pita. I'm pretty sure that the maths used in mech science were harder than anything I did in my electronics. At work I do have a look at some of the calculations used in our r.f. stuff and I'm glad we have simulations software to work it all out lol.

Strife212 · 26 Apr 2012 at 23:57

Russell and Whitehead spent 1000 pages in Principia Mathematica proving that 1+1=2.

http://blog.plover.com/math/PM.html

The Halk · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:00

This.

Castiel · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:02

Strife212 said:
Russell and Whitehead spent 1000 pages in Principia Mathematica proving that 1+1=2.

http://blog.plover.com/math/PM.html

That just proves that it does, you can do that with a couple of oranges and a box (illustratively rather than mathematically)....not why it does.

Are there any proofs that say 1=2 for example?

Moeks · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:08

Well I wouldn't say I 'know' it, but the most tricky mathematical ideas I have come into contact with are Phasor Mathematics, which can include differential equations, calculus, trigonometry, complex numbers, Euler's relation etc.

What it actually is, for anyone interested is a complex-number representation of an electrical quantity, such as voltage, current, or impedance.

The most complex maths I actually make any use of is really just Ohm's Law, the power triangle and a few other bits and pieces, such as working out voltage drop across a circuit maybe or working out the maximum load on a circuit so I can select the correct components.

SexyGreyFox · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:11

SOHCAHTOA

Dunks · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:12

Fourier and Laplacian transforms.

Hxc · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:18

Probably lots of bits to do with 3x3 matrices. Eigenvectors and all that.

lukeharvest · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:26

Castiel said:
That just proves that it does, you can do that with a couple of oranges and a box (illustratively rather than mathematically)....not why it does.

Are there any proofs that say 1=2 for example?

No, because any proof saying 1=2 takes advantage of something you can't do, like dividing by zero.

ntg · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:33

Castiel said:
That just proves that it does, you can do that with a couple of oranges and a box (illustratively rather than mathematically)....not why it does.

Actually it's the other way around. The mathematical proof proves the "why", the illustrative proves the "it just does".

D.P. · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:37

Castiel said:
That just proves that it does, you can do that with a couple of oranges and a box (illustratively rather than mathematically)....not why it does.

Are there any proofs that say 1=2 for example?

I don't think you understand what a mathematical proof is.

Castiel · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:38

kgi said:
Actually it's the other way around. The mathematical proof proves the "why", the illustrative proves the "it just does".

Does it? Surely it only demonstrates that it does and the mechanism that it follows which makes it true...not the why 1+1 must equal 2.......

lukeharvest · 27 Apr 2012 at 00:41

Castiel said:
Does it? Surely it only demonstrates that it does and the mechanism that it follows which makes it true...not the why 1+1 must equal 2.......

No because in the world of mathematics, the real world means very little - especially in regards to mathematical proofs. That isn't the point of a proof.