numbers paradox

how many times does 3 go into -3?

some of you might say it goes in to it -1 times, but how can you go into something -1 times? you either go into it (1+) or not (0)

And how many times does 0 go into 0? None at all, or rather a lot?

mathematical 0 doesn't excist.

Originally posted by Siebren
mathematical 0 doesn't excist.

I have no apples on my head. Are you saying I'm wrong?

Originally posted by Bowmann
I have no apples on my head. Are you saying I'm wrong?

Mathematically, yes. Literally, you do not have any apples on your head. But mathematically you cannot have no number of apples on your head beac=se n0 number cannot exis$t in a d3m0cracy.

Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose
how many times does 3 go into -3?

some of you might say it goes in to it -1 times, but how can you go into something -1 times? you either go into it (1+) or not (0)

Since we're being all literal and mathematical....

Surely it goes in 'once' or 'one time' not -1 times.

-1 is just the factor you use to mutliply 3, not the actual amount of times it goes into it.

Originally posted by Daemon Sin
Since we're being all literal and mathematical....

Surely it goes in 'once' or 'one time' not -1 times.

-1 is just the factor you use to mutliply 3, not the actual amount of times it goes into it.

Are you saying that 3 and -3 are equivalent? How so?

Originally posted by jimslyp69
Mathematically, yes. Literally, you do not have any apples on your head. But mathematically you cannot have no number of apples on your head beac=se n0 number cannot exis$t in a d3m0cracy.

Perhaps if I take the apple off my head, myself and the entire Universe will cease to exist...

i think you are looking at it from the wrong perspective. Mathematics in it's entirety is a theory which has no real grasp on reality. The number 1 (the basis for mathematics) doesn't really represent anything real. There is no 1 of anything since there are no 2 things in this universe that are identicle single entities.

Originally posted by Asher123
i think you are looking at it from the wrong perspective. Mathematics in it's entirety is a theory which has no real grasp on reality. The number 1 (the basis for mathematics) doesn't really represent anything real. There is no 1 of anything since there are no 2 things in this universe that are identicle single entities.

What an odd thing to say. Mathematics is more about concepts than numbers and numbers themselves provide a language for these concepts.

You sound more like a philosopher than a mathematician.

i think any good mathemtaician is somewhat of a philosopher as well, just as any good physicist is. We provide a language which best fits our understanding and best allows us to explore the world intelectually, but it's just that - a language. And just as the word 'Chair' is a poor representative of an actual chair (the word chair can be used to describe an infinite number of pieces of furniture) so in mathematics.

Originally posted by Asher123
And just as the word 'Chair' is a poor representative of an actual chair (the word chair can be used to describe an infinite number of pieces of furniture) so in mathematics.

You've confirmed my suspicions 😀

It depends in which set you are reasoning. But since -3 exists, I would assume you are talking about the set of whole numbers (positive and negative), and -1 would be a good answer. If you were talking real numbers, then there would be an infintie number of answers, and so on ....

Originally posted by Mephisto2
It depends in which set you are reasoning. But since -3 exists, I would assume you are talking about the set of whole numbers (positive and negative), and -1 would be a good answer. If you were talking real numbers, then there would be an infintie number of answers, and so on ....

Mathematically, I doubt there are an infinite number of solutions to -3/3.

Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose
how many times does 3 go into -3?

some of you might say it goes in to it -1 times, but how can you go into something -1 times? you either go into it (1+) or not (0)

How can there be a negative number?

If you're talking about negative numbers, why can't positive numbers go into them negative one times?