Sunday, April 03, 2011

pondering mathematics

have never quite understood how 'pure' mathematics works.
0+0 = two balloons almost connected or, depending, 0 + 0 = two balloons on either side of a cross (with the hope that neither of them become desperately cross).

1+1 = possible problematic progeny .. unless we separate them a bit and see 1 + 1 (still a bit cross).

1 + 2 = a whole heap of negotiation.

... etc ......

8 comments:

John Myste said...

I must confess that mathematics seems far more confusing to me now than it did a few minutes ago.

Davoh said...

Ah, JM. That pleases me. You will, of course, have realised by now that it is my long term goal to create as much confusion as possible. Thence i can grow my beard to a greater length, wrap a white blanket around my loins, step in at some point, whisper some words into the ear of some deluded bloke in a desert somewhere, have him write it all down and - hopefully - in some 6000 years time, all will be made clear.

Linda Jones Malonson said...

Math seems confusing, because it's meant to confuse. I often wondered why 1 + 1 equal 2. I always thought it equal 3. Maybe it's because I was looking at the plus.

Dave you make me smile -- and yes, you give me a nice headache because I am forced to think.

Vest said...

I have for some time now referred to 'Barry Mazur's' book.

Imagining Numbers(Particularly the square root of Minus Fifteen)

Penguin Books.
ISBN 0 - 713 - 99630 - 7.

Davoh said...

erk, the mind boggles at the implications of a 'square' root .. on the other hand, can distinctly remember a 'triangular' root way back in the distant past .. but that is another story.

Vest said...

Me too.
Penny & Emma, Sydney, late 45..

Davoh said...

mmph. um, how to i convey the concept that my lips are sealed about certain aspects of my life?

On second thoughts, am not getting any younger.

Vest said...

Read page 113, memoirs of Vest re tri root. W D Y G I, I'll email you with info.