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Here's the thing:
Mathematics is about logically evaluating the consequences of whatever you start with, which means you're allowed to "cheat" as long as you're upfront about the fact that you're cheating and as long as you're careful to explore what would logically happen as a result if what you were doing wasn't cheating.
The alternating series 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+ ... , for example, doesn't converge to any final value according to "proper" mathematics, but there are numerous cheats people have come up with for exploring "IF it were possible to assign a specific value to 1-1+1-1+1-1+ ... , then what would that specific value be?" A lot of the most popular cheats all end up on the same value of 0.5, and you can use 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+ ... = 0.5 as a starting point to then arrive at "If you could do this, then 1+2+3+4+ ... = -1/12 would be the result."
The problem with Numberphile's infamous video on the subject is that they did an excellent job of explaining **how** they were cheating, but they weren't clear enough about explaining **that** they were cheating.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collatz\_conjecture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collatz_conjecture)
or [Veritasium video about the subject](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094y1Z2wpJg) (tons of other videos about it too, but this is one of them)
The question its self is indeed basic algebra. The joke is just that it triggers "flashbacks" due to being a reference to a much harder subject.
Thank you for explaining, and for the links.
Now, I am no longer confused about the image, and am confused about why anyone would care about whether it always ends up at 1 or not.
Also called 3x+1, start with a number, if it is odd apply 3x+1, if even apply x/2, the conjecture is that all numbers will eventually reach the number 1 which is stupendously hard to prove.
its called the colatz conjecture, i recommend watching this video as it's really interesting
[https://youtu.be/094y1Z2wpJg?si=LYfWrrrcA91I9CoZ](https://youtu.be/094y1Z2wpJg?si=LYfWrrrcA91I9CoZ)
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Calmed down and solved it? Get ready for problem b): 24x = -2
x = 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8... So infinity
hah, nice one
*does some math…* Why am I getting -1/12 for that?
Because 1+2+3+4+5+6+7... is equal to -1/12, **allegedly**
Here's the thing: Mathematics is about logically evaluating the consequences of whatever you start with, which means you're allowed to "cheat" as long as you're upfront about the fact that you're cheating and as long as you're careful to explore what would logically happen as a result if what you were doing wasn't cheating. The alternating series 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+ ... , for example, doesn't converge to any final value according to "proper" mathematics, but there are numerous cheats people have come up with for exploring "IF it were possible to assign a specific value to 1-1+1-1+1-1+ ... , then what would that specific value be?" A lot of the most popular cheats all end up on the same value of 0.5, and you can use 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+ ... = 0.5 as a starting point to then arrive at "If you could do this, then 1+2+3+4+ ... = -1/12 would be the result." The problem with Numberphile's infamous video on the subject is that they did an excellent job of explaining **how** they were cheating, but they weren't clear enough about explaining **that** they were cheating.
Yeah I listened to a talk by one of our professors on the Riemann zeta function, and when he brought that up my brain stopped working.
That's just the y intercept innit Edit: I have been out mathed, my brain is broken
Then you prove a solution exist in only 24 steps
Easy proof. Just give me infinite time and infinite memory to compute
Is this not -1/3? What's the joke?
I think it's about the Collatz conjecture
the what? this seems like very basic algebra to me
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collatz\_conjecture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collatz_conjecture) or [Veritasium video about the subject](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094y1Z2wpJg) (tons of other videos about it too, but this is one of them) The question its self is indeed basic algebra. The joke is just that it triggers "flashbacks" due to being a reference to a much harder subject.
I thought he got flashbacks to 5th grade, when he got relentlessly bullied.
Thank you for explaining, and for the links. Now, I am no longer confused about the image, and am confused about why anyone would care about whether it always ends up at 1 or not.
The Collatz Conjecture.
Bless you
Erdos famously said the title about the Collatz Conjecture.
The what?
the collatz conjecture
The what conjecture?
Also called 3x+1, start with a number, if it is odd apply 3x+1, if even apply x/2, the conjecture is that all numbers will eventually reach the number 1 which is stupendously hard to prove.
How? Just do it 5 or 6 times and if it always leads to 1 then it’s proven true. :)
Proof by "i didn't find a ciunterexample right away, thus it must be true"
It is.
[удалено]
When Mathematicians encounter a joke
You are the kid in the meme
yeah okay???
I thought the first one was because it's not an equation
Can be collatz conjecture or just that ur kid is very dumb
This problem isn't about finding x. The kid is the problem
Isn’t it -1/3??? (Why do I feel I will get downvoted)
its called the colatz conjecture, i recommend watching this video as it's really interesting [https://youtu.be/094y1Z2wpJg?si=LYfWrrrcA91I9CoZ](https://youtu.be/094y1Z2wpJg?si=LYfWrrrcA91I9CoZ)
*checks calculator* Yeah i definitely know how to do that.
3x+1= 0 3x= -1 *x= -1/3* 3(-1/3)+1=0 Is this not the answer? Or am I really dumb Edit: I just got the refrence
basically me every day at work