Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

World Champion Largest Number - Graham's Number (instant headache!)
The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers (book) ^ | 1986 | David Wells

Posted on 11/28/2022 1:43:52 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-29 last
To: Fungi

So what’s the point? Not enough material in the universe to write the number. How is it relevant to anything if it can’t be used? Get a life.

One of the purposes of math is to expand our understanding of the universe. Sometimes seemingly impractical or esoteric knowledge can prove useful, or lead to a deeper understanding of other problems. Math is logic.

Long ago, a mathematician invented the concept of zero. What is it? it’s nothing. But it’s probably one of the most powerful discoveries of modern mathematics.


21 posted on 11/28/2022 3:51:44 PM PST by Flick Lives (Cui bono)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Flick Lives

You missed my pint entirely.


22 posted on 11/28/2022 3:53:33 PM PST by Fungi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Fungi

You missed my pint entirely.

Apparently I did miss the pint. I hate missing a pint.


23 posted on 11/28/2022 4:01:33 PM PST by Flick Lives (Cui bono)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

On par with Georg Cantor, perhaps? See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantor%27s_paradox


24 posted on 11/28/2022 4:02:11 PM PST by earglasses (I was blind, and now I hear...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Flick Lives

Didn’t Seinfeld have a show about that?


25 posted on 11/28/2022 4:03:21 PM PST by GMThrust
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: GMThrust

:-)


26 posted on 11/28/2022 4:06:27 PM PST by Flick Lives (Cui bono)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

That’s become known as Biden’s number which is any number of votes a democrat needs to steal an election. It’s much higher than any of the other numbers in the article.


27 posted on 11/28/2022 4:41:11 PM PST by freefdny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

“If all the material in the universe...” Yeah, well. News flash: numbers are imaginary. No number needs to be written on a physical paper with physical ink. Aristotle knew this 340 BC. The largest number is reasonably theorized and fuzzily imagined.


28 posted on 11/28/2022 9:49:03 PM PST by Falconspeed ("Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others." Robert Louis Stevenson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Falconspeed

It’s like helping Joe Sixpack understand the price of something by saying “dollar bills stacked to the moon.”

It is fascinating to say “there isn’t enough material in the universe to print out the biggest number.”


29 posted on 11/28/2022 9:54:43 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (If you're not part of the solution, you're just scumming up the bottom of the beaker!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-29 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson