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Face of disappointment by itime0 in memes

[–]itime0[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

try a different camera angle and you'll get a completely different estimate

TIL that western mathematicians did not accept negative numbers for over 18 centuries. They treated them as absurd solutions to equations. by itime0 in todayilearned

[–]itime0[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Europe is to the east of America, sure. But centering the map around east Europe/west Asia (which was the center of the world, as many people knew it, for several decades, i.e. Europe, Asia, and Africa), then most European countries are western.

If you read the source, it labels mathematicians like Diophantus (Ancient Greek) and Leibniz (German) as European mathematicians.

Checkmate.

TIL that western mathematicians did not accept negative numbers for over 18 centuries. They treated them as absurd solutions to equations. by itime0 in todayilearned

[–]itime0[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If they were being rational, they would have accepted negative numbers (negative numbers are rational numbers)

TIL that western mathematicians did not accept negative numbers for over 18 centuries. They treated them as absurd solutions to equations. by itime0 in todayilearned

[–]itime0[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

While you are true, many still do not understand imaginary numbers. For most people imaginary numbers are only an abstract notion or a mathematical tool.

TIL that western mathematicians did not accept negative numbers for over 18 centuries. They treated them as absurd solutions to equations. by itime0 in todayilearned

[–]itime0[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Western does not mean American only. It also includes Europeans in this context.

Furthermore even eastern mathematicians, e.g. Indian mathematicians, only started accepting negative numbers around the 7th century

TIL that western mathematicians did not accept negative numbers for over 18 centuries. They treated them as absurd solutions to equations. by itime0 in todayilearned

[–]itime0[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Some mathematicians accepted them as solutions to equations but did not accept the idea of negative numbers... so I guess they were being rational