Do you think math is pure or its a trick?
448915
Mathematics is the only 'pure' form of communication and information that exists. 2+2=4, always has, always will.\nThere are many opinionated forms of knowledge such as History, Religion, Evolution, etc. Math is the only exact form that cannot be left to speculation. You can debate an answer to a problem but the answer never changes from its own truth.  40 divided by point 5 equals 80. Always has, always will.
1062811
The numbers 1, 2, etc are just symbols we give to a identify a quantity.  As for mathematical equations these have been calculated in order to work something out, and then tested repeatedly.  The rules are determined when, using the equation, the answer is always the same and/or predictable.  This is what all scientific theories are.  They are ways of measuring things, which are verifiable.  They have no 'reality' outside our minds, because they are used to measure the world as we perceive it, but they do help us to make sense of the reality that we perceive.
7873
well in the demostrantion of the Real numbers...\n\nall the numbers and relations depend of the existence of 1... suck that there are some rules..\n\nso we even demostrate that 1 exists... and that 1 > 0... after that we can prove the existence of any other Real number..
797443
That is a very theoretical question that mathmaticians don't like to hear.\nZero was just recently added to math. Before it wasnt even a number. It was only an idea.\nThink about it this way,\n What happenes when you zoom in to the size of a proton? Now a needle point seems like infinity to you. \nWhat about the size of a string( if you believe in string theory)? Now an electron seems infinitely big.\nInfinity and zero are so relative to the observer that they must be related.  \nThe problem with this relationship is that it breaks down mathematics to only an observation and not an absolute truth. Every mathmetician thinks that math is the universal language, and no mathematician or physicist for that matter wants to even ponder the possibility that everything they have dedicated their life for could have flaws. \nSo as an everyday person 1/0 is just undefined. \nBut to anyone who wants to think past our rules of math and see ideas zero is just as indefinite as infinity.
894923
i know a good mathematical riddle, but i wont even bother telling it here, you example has nothing to do with your question, your assumption is false, people dont do that.
967058
It depends on what you are wanting to prove. Generally speaking, when you substitute numbers, you are restricting to a specific example. You cannot prove a general result by only looking at specific examples (unless you somehow show those specific cases give *all* the possibilities). However, you *can* show a result is false, if it is false for some specific example, so to show a general result is false, it is enough to 'plug in numbers'.
945266
Does 0.9999999999999999999999999....(continued) = 1.0\n\nA great topic in maths which will actually interest people because the above statement is true.
271541
I suppose you could think of it like this: Everyone who seriously studies mathematics should realize the beauty of it, and perceive its fundamental truths. So truth and beauty combined are the rewards of mathematics. However, there is no denying that pure mathematics is perhaps the most challenging of all subjects. For some, this takes away from or DIVIDES the effects of the truth and beauty.
164065
The trick with "proofs" like these are generally an obscured division by zero. One of the lines seems to work, though when you divide to cancel out some factors, the quantity you're dividing by could/does equal zero. It's a trick and doesn't say anything substantial about mathematics.
201475
Do the math or at least show us the factors to get the sum and then we can decide whether or not it's true.  You can't get a sum without addends right?
812818
Its beautiful, its elegant and it  holds promise. Its true that its some what stagnant in last few years but that doesn't mean we should start disbelieving it. If you cannot test something  experimentally that does not mean that it is incorrect.  You can refute something straight away only when you have proved it to be wrong.  While  thinking about a theory of everything, we must always keep a open mind. We should also for similar reasons give heed to other attempts towards a theory of everything.
792776
Nature is hardly mathematical !!\n\nTh
1153023
It is really surprising that there are still people who think they have a PROOF for statements like 1=2, 1=0, etc.\nFirst they should UNDERSTAND what is a PROOF.\n\nPROOF is a sequence of logically correct steps. If ONE of your step is wrong then it is NOT called a proof.\n\nI think these people should go back to Primary schools and LEARN the fundamentals.
64159
It's debatable.  Here's an interesting column that addresses the question:\nhttp://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/57188.html
969538
Disagree.  It solves some problems in evolutionary theory where selective pressures are subtle.  The mathematics are highly refined and led to new insights, but it's application in the real world is limited.
691205
is this a mathematical question
191250
Mathematicians have proven that, in general, 1 + 1 = 2. It took them awhile to do it, but they succeeded. Unless the time truly comes when there is a need to ignore this generalisation, this assumption made is as good as any other axioms ever declared by the wise logicians.