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Mathematics

Started by Nathan, Jan 16 2006 03:28 PM

37 replies to this topic

Poll: Was mathematics invented or discovered? (19 member(s) have cast votes)

Was mathematics invented or discovered?

  1. Invented (10 votes [52.63%])

    Percentage of vote: 52.63%

  2. Discovered (9 votes [47.37%])

    Percentage of vote: 47.37%

  3. Not Sure (0 votes [0.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 0.00%

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#1 Nathan

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 03:28 PM

I just saw this on another forum and thought it was a good question.

I think it must have been invented because numbers were invented by humans and then maths was invented unsure.gif This is just my opinion

Tell us yours!

#2 Paul

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 03:52 PM

Yeh, I fink it is invented. my opinion is that it started off as a couple of numbers meanin quantity but then evolved into a more dynamic system

But, hey, I mite be wrong!
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#3 skint_student

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 04:06 PM

hmmm interesting question. you can argue that maths was invented by humans and then used to describe things, but then isn't it amazing that almost everything can be explained mathematically. So do you think that God (or some other "creator") is really just a kick ass mathematician?
For example there are mathematicians working on a formula to describe the seemingly random stripes on tigers and other animals

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg14018983.700

#4 John

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 04:30 PM

I beleive the foundations which Mathematics relies upon was invented(IE Numbers), but Mathematics itself was discovered.

I know i probably dont make sense, but hey that's me!
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#5 dfx

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 05:42 PM

QUOTE(nathanm @ Jan 16 2006, 04:28 PM)
I just saw this on another forum and thought it was a good question.

I think it must have been invented because numbers were invented by humans and then maths was invented  unsure.gif This is just my opinion

Tell us yours!

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Ah.. a felllow PF junkie. wink.gif

#6 Nathan

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 05:47 PM

pf?

#7 Dave

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 07:04 PM

mathmatical theoroms and rules do tend to have a hint of discovery about them because otherwise how would they work so needly.

Obviously the idea of "numbers" must have been invented so i guess i agree with paul

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#8 kyle

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 07:10 PM

I think its always been around.

We have just developed a way, a language if you will of describing it.

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#9 George

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 07:40 PM

I don't really feel like I know enough maths to have a strong view on this.

It could be considered an invention of the human mind - in which case it's probably the best one there's ever been biggrin.gif

But sometimes it seems too nice for us to have just made it up!
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#10 Scott

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 07:54 PM

Drunk people made it up. Plain and simple.

#11 Richard_05

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 07:56 PM

Well, if it was invented, I'd like to meet the guy who made sin tan cos.

To kick him square in the nuts of course.

#12 The Wedge Effect

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 08:05 PM

QUOTE(Richard_05 @ Jan 16 2006, 07:56 PM)
Well, if it was invented, I'd like to meet the guy who made sin tan cos.

To kick him square in the nuts of course.

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ohmy.gif Surely you don't mean that...trigonometry is an amazing thing developed from maths, can be used to solve a wide variety of problems.
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#13 Nathan

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 08:09 PM

QUOTE(Wedge37 @ Jan 16 2006, 08:05 PM)
ohmy.gif Surely you don't mean that...trigonometry is an amazing thing developed from maths, can be used to solve a wide variety of problems.

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Trigonometry is the most irritating thing you do in maths...useful or not

QUOTE(Richard_05 @ Jan 16 2006, 07:56 PM)
Well, if it was invented, I'd like to meet the guy who made sin tan cos.

To kick him square in the nuts of course.

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You do that and i'll rearrange mr. sohcahtoa's face! biggrin.gif

#14 Paul

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 08:26 PM

QUOTE(kyle @ Jan 16 2006, 07:10 PM)
I think its always been around.

We have just developed a way, a language if you will of describing it.

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exactly...look at it from that perspective:

How does a language begin and develop? In my opinion Maths was exactly the same. At the very beginning something happened, something was done which then went on to trigger the whole continuing evolution of Maths
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#15 kyle

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 09:42 PM

I'm glad someone agrees! smile.gif

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#16 George

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Posted 16 January 2006 - 09:45 PM

QUOTE(kyle @ Jan 16 2006, 09:42 PM)
I'm glad someone agrees! smile.gif

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I think I agree too biggrin.gif
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#17 smb

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 12:07 AM

What a very HSNy type topic!!

I'd say maths was just THERE at the beginning of the world and it was discovered then developed.

To be honest I couldnt care less about maths - but thats only because I can't do it adn numbers are the downfall of my life. I'm so glad there are people out there who like maths to make up for how much I hate it. smile.gif

#18 YIC

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 12:13 PM

QUOTE(nathanm @ Jan 16 2006, 08:09 PM)
Trigonometry is the most irritating thing you do in maths...useful or not



I agree actually. It is quite annoying. Even worse when everything is done using n (pi) :s

#19 kyle

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 01:50 PM

Pfft, trig is great.

You should try "Big O and little o"

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#20 Scott

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Posted 17 January 2006 - 01:55 PM

QUOTE(kyle @ Jan 17 2006, 01:50 PM)
Pfft, trig is great.

You should try "Big O and little o"

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Crap, I keep on forgetting about that Maths assignment...that's due tomorrow dry.gif
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