Active Users:342 Time:09/07/2025 02:29:12 PM
Why is 6 afraid of 7? *NM* Dark Knight Send a noteboard - 25/05/2010 02:15:59 PM
I mean, I'm REALLY not one of those guys who gets all mystical about numbers; I understand that they merely represent real world physical relations, and all the "mystical" BS is just our failure to recognize some of them. There's nothing "magical" about the fact 2+2=2X2=2^2, it's just the nature of those functions and the number itself, just as when 3+3+3+3+3+3+3+3+3=3X3X3=3^3. It would take too long than anyone but me wants to spend explaining why 1/3^4 gives the first ten integers, in order, as a decimal, but I DO understand it (generally speaking. ) It makes sense, just as the numerator of a fraction with denominator 9 should be itself as a repeating decimal; dividing by 9, after all, is the same as dividing by 10-1.

So why does 1/7 become 0.142857...? Even the part with the final digits being 5 and 7 rather than 5 and 6 makes a kind of sense, just as 1/81=0.123456790... because 10 comes after 9, which carries over to make the 9 a 10 as well, which carries over to make the 8 a 9, hence 0.123456790... instead of continuing with the 8; it's still there, but the nature of the rest of the number "disguises" it. But 1/7, I've looked at it every which way for years and it doesn't make sense why it does that, why one single function performed on one single digit integer can yield a far more complex repeating decimal. Even 1/6 makes sense; it's just half of 1/3. But you can't do that with 7; it's prime. It just keeps getting weirder....

Suggestions, O Math Gurus...?
Formerly Mat Bloody Cauthon on Wotmania, blessed be its name
Reply to message
Continuing the Math Theme, WTF Is Up with the Seven? - 25/05/2010 02:12:09 AM 649 Views
Base 10 number system - 25/05/2010 02:16:49 AM 486 Views
I Kinda Figured, but Why Does 7 Conflict with Base 10 So Much? - 25/05/2010 02:27:51 AM 477 Views
- 25/05/2010 08:19:12 AM 480 Views
Happy Birthday...? - 25/05/2010 08:56:59 AM 414 Views
You're a day early - 25/05/2010 09:10:30 AM 429 Views
Got me on a technicality. - 25/05/2010 09:19:54 AM 330 Views
Re: Got me on a technicality. - 25/05/2010 09:27:59 AM 369 Views
But we're AWESOME! - 25/05/2010 09:47:30 AM 469 Views
- 25/05/2010 09:50:43 AM 347 Views
You tend to get cyclic repeats when dividing by primes - 25/05/2010 11:58:34 AM 563 Views
I actually DO feel like taking a course on number theory. - 25/05/2010 12:12:10 PM 522 Views
Re: I actually DO feel like taking a course on number theory. - 25/05/2010 01:46:10 PM 364 Views
Well, I'm not vouching for Wikipedias claim, just reiterating it. - 25/05/2010 02:35:23 PM 581 Views
It's usually right but I wouldn't but much value on the implied importance - 25/05/2010 04:22:52 PM 425 Views
If you say so; I really try hard not to channel Pythagoras. - 26/05/2010 09:26:22 AM 594 Views
Re: If you say so; I really try hard not to channel Pythagoras. - 26/05/2010 10:00:37 AM 541 Views
The "leading zero" thing IS a bit misleading. - 26/05/2010 11:06:59 AM 673 Views
Re: The "leading zero" thing IS a bit misleading. - 26/05/2010 12:33:08 PM 396 Views
i have a book you're welcome to try reading.... - 26/05/2010 07:30:46 AM 357 Views
Yeah, I keep getting much that impression. - 26/05/2010 09:07:41 AM 338 Views
Why is 6 afraid of 7? *NM* - 25/05/2010 02:15:59 PM 187 Views
There it is again! Because 7 is a gluttonous beast. - 25/05/2010 02:27:58 PM 400 Views

Reply to Message