Tl;dr is that a legendary mathematician wrote in a margin of a book that he’s got a proof of a particular proposition, but that the proof is too long to fit into said margin. That was around the year 1637. A proof was finally found in 1994.
Principia mathematica should not be used as source book for any actual mathematics because it’s an outdated and flawed attempt at formalising mathematics.
Axiomatic set theory provides a better framework for elementary problems such as proving 1+1=2.
One part of the 360 page proof in Principia Mathematica:
It’s not a 360 page proof, it just appears that many pages into the book. That’s the whole proof.
Weak-ass proof. You could fit this into a margin.
Upvoting because I trust you it’s funny, not because I understand.
It’s a reference to Fermat’s Last Theorem.
Tl;dr is that a legendary mathematician wrote in a margin of a book that he’s got a proof of a particular proposition, but that the proof is too long to fit into said margin. That was around the year 1637. A proof was finally found in 1994.
I thought it must be something like that, I expected it to be more specific though :)
late to the party, but that’s actually one of the heartwarming and ridiculous at the same time stories of mathematics
I’m not believing it until I see your definition of arithmetical addition.
Principia mathematica should not be used as source book for any actual mathematics because it’s an outdated and flawed attempt at formalising mathematics.
Axiomatic set theory provides a better framework for elementary problems such as proving 1+1=2.
Friggin nerds!