RE: Are we teleporting?
August 27, 2015 at 8:34 am
(This post was last modified: August 27, 2015 at 8:44 am by Alex K.)
pool,
You are trying to load these simple equations with too much meaning. A mere 3*0=... does not suffice to communicate subtleties such as whether there are eggs but not with you, or whether you give them back, or whether it is forgotten.that you bought them
If you imbue these numbers with so much context, you are bound to get contradictions and confusion. You have to state more clearly what the represented quantities are and what the question is you would like to answer. Then you can check which mathematical formula gives you the desired answer.
If the question is "I buy x eggs and one costs y bucks, how much will I be usually charged if there is no rebate. I call that z." Then the answer is z=x*y or equivalent z=y*x, and in that case 0*3=0. That's a property of the multiplication with real numbers that is absolutely true. What you are doing is imagining scenarios in which one simple multiplication of real numbers is not enough to represent them. This simple multiplication will then not give you the desired answer because your scenario cannot be described by one single operation like that. That doesn't change the fact that in the real numbers, 0*x=0. It's just that the answer to your question is not to calculate z=x*y (using real numbers).
You are trying to load these simple equations with too much meaning. A mere 3*0=... does not suffice to communicate subtleties such as whether there are eggs but not with you, or whether you give them back, or whether it is forgotten.that you bought them
If you imbue these numbers with so much context, you are bound to get contradictions and confusion. You have to state more clearly what the represented quantities are and what the question is you would like to answer. Then you can check which mathematical formula gives you the desired answer.
If the question is "I buy x eggs and one costs y bucks, how much will I be usually charged if there is no rebate. I call that z." Then the answer is z=x*y or equivalent z=y*x, and in that case 0*3=0. That's a property of the multiplication with real numbers that is absolutely true. What you are doing is imagining scenarios in which one simple multiplication of real numbers is not enough to represent them. This simple multiplication will then not give you the desired answer because your scenario cannot be described by one single operation like that. That doesn't change the fact that in the real numbers, 0*x=0. It's just that the answer to your question is not to calculate z=x*y (using real numbers).
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
