Philosophical Illusion?

[Ken M]

Gerry,

When you ask "is infinity odd or even?" which infinity are talking about?

You're surely not going to suggest that there is only one infinity?

(Now that would be odd!)

Regards

Ken.

 

[Eric Nelson]

The defintion of 'even' (when applied to a number system) is an integer that is divisible by two with no remainder.

Yes, but HERE an even number is defined as 'a multiple of two'. Zero x two = zero. Therefore zero is an even number. Its location on the number line (between -1 and +1) also lends itself to being an even number.

Not like I really care though...

More about infinity HERE...

beerchug

-Eric

 

[PLucas]

Yes, but here an even number is defined as 'a multiple of two'.

If a number is a multiple of two, then surely it is divisible by two???

Paul

 

[Eric Nelson]

If a number is a multiple of two, then surely it is divisible by two???

Well, yeah, unless you're talking about zero...

beerchug

-Eric

(DUTW!)

 

[CaseyK]

99 bottles of beer on the wall...........

 

[kennyb]

I have for many years laboured under the misapprehension (Whew, try spelling that during the N/S) that zero is divisible by two (or anything) and is regarded as even due to there being no remainder and its place on the number line.

0/2 = 0

There is a dividend and no remainder.

Another way - how many "twos" are there in zero?

Answer - zero.

 

[Eric Nelson]

That would be "1 1 0 0 0 1 1 bottles of beer on the wall" around here, Casey...

beerchug

-Eric

 

[PLucas]

Now we aretalking about beer...

Kennyb

Now that Eric and Casey have mentioned beer (that always seems to happen in a thread that Terry Woods starts )

I will use that as an example.

If I had 98 bottles of beer (I drank one while typeing this reply) and gave them to you and asked you to divide them between us, that would not be a problem, you could quite easily do that. But if I gave you NO (zero) bottles of beer and again asked you to divide them between us, you couldn't do it because there is nothing to divide.

In that case, zero is NOT divisible by two.

So, if Zero is not an odd or an even number is it really a number?

Paul

Where's them 98 bottles of beer gone?

 

[kennyb]

Re: Now we aretalking about beer...

So, if Zero is not an odd or an even number is it really a number?

Paul,
that is yet more philosophy!!

But if I had no bottles of beer to split between us we would both have no bottles of beer. A fair and amicable split, and a definite indicator that it's time to go to the shops/pub/..your choice here...

 

[CaseyK]

Thanks Eric, I'm going to have to start carrying a wallet conversion card.

I do understand the I0 types of people in the world. I realize I can count up to 1023 on my fingers, making my right big toe #1024 if I take off my shoes to count......

Back in the RF days, I had a chart to help convert megacycles, to megahertz.

M
E 5 x
G
A 4 x
C
Y 3 x
C
L 2 x
E
S 1 x
*
* 0 1 2 3 4 5
*
* * * * * M E G A H E R T Z

After getting the chart, I never had trouble converting frequencies again.

Since I am a lightwieght (drinking wise), 98 bottles of beer, less 2 if I'm driving, 3 if not, divided by the square root of 2 (1.414), times pi (3.1416), converted to celsius (9/5 or 5/9 +/- 32 or something), divided by the cosign inefficient, factored for windchill........

Hey Bob, head west on I-80, take the 351 exit, I've got more beer here then I'll drink in a year.

burp......casey

 

[Ken M]

But wouldn't it be really wonderful if we didn't need to bother about 'odd' and 'even'? What if all numbers were really the same?

I suspect they are, because let's face it 2 = 1. So, since the fundamental 'odd' number is equal to the fundamental 'even' number, surely there are no differences between any odd or even numbers?

What's that? You didn't know 2 = 1? Oh, come on. It's simple. I'll prove it. Take two numbers 'a' and 'b' and let a = b

Axiom : a = b

Multiply both sides by a -

==> a2 = ab

Add (a2 - 2ab) to both sides -

==> a2 + a2 - 2ab = ab + a2 - 2ab

Simplify as -

==> 2(a2 - ab ) = a2 - ab

Divide both sides by (a2 - ab) -

==> 2 = 1

Now isn't life easy when you've always got that little get out available?

Regards

Ken M.

 

[JesperMP]

Sorry Ken,

but   a x a = a x b

makes a^2   = ab

not   a2    = ab

Too bad, proving 1=2 would have rewarded you the nobel prize in mathematics.

 

[Eric Nelson]

Actually, I think Ken meant a2 to mean a², but the problem is that since we start with a being the same number as b (a = b), then a² - ab = zero. Therefore, Ken's "Divide both sides by (a2 - ab)" would really mean "Divide both sides by zero"...

beerchug

-Eric

 

[Ken M]

Eric,

Don't give the secret away!!

You've stolen my Nobel Prize I was about to get from Jesper!

Ken.

 

[Eric Nelson]

How's that, Ken?...

EDIT: Even better now...

beerchug

-Eric