Ask me about maths

[neil_thomson]

Does anyone have any pressing mathematical questions which need answering? Are there any other mathematicians out there?

Neil (Guitarist) x

[8th member (for now)]

As a child Joe’s favourite number was ‘88’. This changed to ‘69’ in his mid-teens.

Are you able to spot any patterns within these two numbers - aside of the on set of delinquency - and maybe then even predict what his next favourite number will be?

[daleph]

I'm a physicist by trade so I have only a passing affiliation with mathematics.

What in your opinion is the largest number?

[neil_thomson]

I'm a physicist by trade so I have only a passing affiliation with mathematics.

What in your opinion is the largest number?

The Archimedian Property tells us that there is no such number. Given any real number x, we can find a natural number n such that n > x.

But this is just one person's opinion. In reality, you'd struggle to find anything bigger than 151.

[neil_thomson]

As a child Joe’s favourite number was ‘88’. This changed to ‘69’ in his mid-teens.

Are you able to spot any patterns within these two numbers - aside of the on set of delinquency - and maybe then even predict what his next favourite number will be?

Knowing Joe, his brain will only deteriorate over time, meaning his favourite number will become progressively smaller as he struggles to process large numbers. By middle age, I predict that his favourite number will be 11 (he's clearly a fan of symmetry/rotations given his affection towards 88 and 69).

[8th member (for now)]

As a child Joe’s favourite number was ‘88’. This changed to ‘69’ in his mid-teens.

Are you able to spot any patterns within these two numbers - aside of the on set of delinquency - and maybe then even predict what his next favourite number will be?

Knowing Joe, his brain will only deteriorate over time, meaning his favourite number will become progressively smaller as he struggles to process large numbers. By middle age, I predict that his favourite number will be 11 (he's clearly a fan of symmetry/rotations given his affection towards 88 and 69).

Thanks Neil, that is a great answer - most helpful

[daleph]

I'm a physicist by trade so I have only a passing affiliation with mathematics.

What in your opinion is the largest number?

The Archimedian Property tells us that there is no such number. Given any real number x, we can find a natural number n such that n > x.

But this is just one person's opinion. In reality, you'd struggle to find anything bigger than 151.

Wow thanks for the insight - really makes you think! There's so much we don't understand about the world.

151 also has rotational symmetry depending on the font used. On a calculator it certainly does

[neil_thomson]

I'm a physicist by trade so I have only a passing affiliation with mathematics.

What in your opinion is the largest number?

The Archimedian Property tells us that there is no such number. Given any real number x, we can find a natural number n such that n > x.

But this is just one person's opinion. In reality, you'd struggle to find anything bigger than 151.

Wow thanks for the insight - really makes you think! There's so much we don't understand about the world.

151 also has rotational symmetry depending on the font used. On a calculator it certainly does

An astute observation Daleph!

[piphany]

What is the coolest mathematical proof, and what numbers, or type of number, do you intend to prohibit upon your ascent to power?

[neil_thomson]

What is the coolest mathematical proof, and what numbers, or type of number, do you intend to prohibit upon your ascent to power?

Very basic answer, but the coolest mathematical proof has to be Andrew Wiles' proof of Fermat's last Theorem. I have not read it (very long) nor do I know all the details, but the context around it is insane. There's a very good documentary about it (accessible to non mathematicians): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074rxx

In terms of proofs I understand, Euler's Theorem is a nice one.

Upon our ascent to power I will be banning all numbers non-congruent to 0 mod 7, thus allowing us to share all resources equally between band members and eliminating nasty remainders