Recently, some of us here have been having an intense debate about infinity, and while infinity is certainly a fascinating topic about a usually counter-intuitive concept, we're so familiar with the word itself that we nowadays go "meh" when we hear about it.
So let's instead have a thread about one number that is nevertheless such a monstrosity (as Rev. described it in another thread I created recently) that you need new strange symbols to come up with a shorthand notation for it, and even then it's just crazily big that infinity itself seems so timid in comparison. And yet mathematicians have made use of it! That number is called Graham's number.
For a fun stimulating read (with lots of fun pictures), here's a Wait But Why article for those interested in mathematics, have not read/heard much about this specific number, and willing/ready to be mindblown. Just take your time to absorb what the author is saying once he reaches Graham's number, and take a break and reread that section later if you have to.
https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/11/1000000-g...umber.html
Note: If you want to start reading from the earlier numbers, feel free to read Part 1 of that article (you'll find the link right there in the first paragraph).
So let's instead have a thread about one number that is nevertheless such a monstrosity (as Rev. described it in another thread I created recently) that you need new strange symbols to come up with a shorthand notation for it, and even then it's just crazily big that infinity itself seems so timid in comparison. And yet mathematicians have made use of it! That number is called Graham's number.
For a fun stimulating read (with lots of fun pictures), here's a Wait But Why article for those interested in mathematics, have not read/heard much about this specific number, and willing/ready to be mindblown. Just take your time to absorb what the author is saying once he reaches Graham's number, and take a break and reread that section later if you have to.
https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/11/1000000-g...umber.html
Note: If you want to start reading from the earlier numbers, feel free to read Part 1 of that article (you'll find the link right there in the first paragraph).
