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Zero Fish (was: Re: Natural Numbers)
Posted:
Nov 13, 1997 2:17 PM
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John Conway wrote:
Zero
> But it DOES occur in everyday life. There are zero fish in this
>room right now (and that's been the case for every day that I can
>remember).
My philosophy is different:
Either exists a fish in a place or not.
I count only existing things. A fish in John's room is a not existing thing;
therefore I don't count it.
(being 5 fish and having to count them: I don't count as 0,1,2,3,4,5, fish
but as 1,2,3,4,5)
Now, John, enjoy some stories on zero from math/ans everyday life :-))
A mathematician is a blind man in a dark room looking for
a black cat which isn't there.
-- Charles Darwin
"When I was young in Poland I met the great mathematician Waclaw Sierpinski.
He was old already then and rather absent-minded. Once he had to move to a
new place for some reason. His wife wife didn't trust him very much, so when
they stood down on the street with all their things, she said:
- Now, you stand here and watch our ten trunks, while I go and get a taxi.
She left and left him there, eyes somewhat glazed and humming absently.
Some minutes later she returned, presumably having called for a taxi.
Says Mr. Sierpinski (possibly with a glint in his eye):
- I thought you said there were ten trunks, but I've only counted to nine.
- No, they're TEN!
- No, count them: 0, 1, 2, ..."
(From the Net)
Antreas
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