What does equal mean

Originally posted by @eladar
Many people believe equal means exactly the same which creates paradoxes when it is used differently.

When you try to calculate 1 + 2, you end up in approximately 3 ?
Well, that's an paradox...

Originally posted by @eladar
Not measurable with kitchen spring scales.

Then they're all equal, just different.

Originally posted by @freakykbh
Then they're all equal, just different.

So equal does not mean the same.

Originally posted by @eladar
If you had one apple, 4apples and 16 apples and put them on a table, could you tell which apples belonged in group of one, four and sixteen?
... because you can't distinguish between the apples once you put them together.

Originally posted by @eladar
Replace apples with the letter x if you like.

No, you said apples. Skip the letter x. Let's stick with apples.
And I answered 'Every apple is unique'.

Do you now want to change your question because you suddenly admit that you're wrong?
Do you deny that every apple is unique?

Originally posted by @eladar
So equal does not mean the same.

Depends on what "same" is taken to be, I suppose.
But those in the example are definitely different, despite sharing some qualities which could (should) be considered the same.

Originally posted by @freakykbh
Depends on what "same" is taken to be, I suppose.
But those in the example are definitely different, despite sharing some qualities which could (should) be considered the same.

In geometry they make the distinction between congruent and similar. Perhaps they should make the same distinction in algebra.

Originally posted by @eladar
Another way of looking at it, if you put all those pieces on a platter and mixed them up, would you be able to put them in their original boxes?


If you had one apple, 4apples and 16 apples and put them on a table, could you tell which apples belonged in group of one, four and sixteen?

1+4+16=21 because you can't distinguish between the apples once you put them together.

Hang on, I thought you were a math's teacher?!

(You're certainly not a grocer).

Originally posted by @eladar
Another way of looking at it, if you put all those pieces on a platter and mixed them up, would you be able to put them in their original boxes?


If you had one apple, 4apples and 16 apples and put them on a table, could you tell which apples belonged in group of one, four and sixteen?

1+4+16=21 because you can't distinguish between the apples once you put them together.

Well maybe YOU can't🙂

Originally posted by @sonhouse
Well maybe YOU can't🙂

Avoid the topic try to make fun.

Pretty typical around here. I suppose trying to help out people like humy isn't worth the bother.

Originally posted by @eladar
Avoid the topic try to make fun.

Are apples unique or not? You avoid the topic.
Do you have fun? I sure have!

Originally posted by @fabianfnas
Are apples unique or not? You avoid the topic.
Do you have fun? I sure have!

So it isn't that math uses misleading symbols, it is that people like humy are just too stupid to make the distinctions.

Originally posted by @eladar
So it isn't that math uses misleading symbols, it is that people like humy are just too stupid to make the distinctions.

You proposed your fact that apples are all the same. Your fact is wrong.
Every apple is unique! Do you still deny this true fact?

When will you acknowledge the obvious?

Originally posted by @fabianfnas
You proposed your fact that apples are all the same. Your fact is wrong.
Every apple is unique! Do you still deny this true fact?

When will you acknowledge the obvious?

Did once attend a training course about racism and the course organizer gave everybody a lemon, before mixing them up and asking us to find our allocated lemon. Despite a possible pre-conception that all lemons were the same, it was actually very easy for people to find their lemons.

For a person to claim all apples look the same probably betrays a deep seated racism lurking within them.

Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke
Did once attend a training course about racism and the course organizer gave everybody a lemon, before mixing them up and asking us to find our allocated lemon. Despite a possible pre-conception that all lemons were the same, it was actually very easy for people to find their lemons.

For a person to claim all apples look the same probably betrays a deep seated racism lurking within them.

Those silly little exercises do more harm than good in their gross oversimplification of complex topics, even if they do offer a limited perspective on things otherwise unconsidered.

If the instructor really wanted people to think about racism, they could have had put all the lemons into one basket (so to speak) and then asked a random person to not only find their own, but to align all the rest to their "owners."

Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke
Did once attend a training course about racism and the course organizer gave everybody a lemon, before mixing them up and asking us to find our allocated lemon. Despite a possible pre-conception that all lemons were the same, it was actually very easy for people to find their lemons.

For a person to claim all apples look the same probably betrays a deep seated racism lurking within them.

Funny how you bring up a question lemons to peove you can tell the difference between red apples.

Then you assume I am wring without evidenxe you could spot the exact same red apples.

At the same time you believe people like yourself are just too stupid in math to understand.