In mathematics, it is often said that the left hand side of the equation represents the very same thing as the right hand side, a specific mathematical value, or object. In reality, the two sides express two distinct things, with an equality between these two. When two things which are different, are said to be equal, the difference between them has already been excused in that judgement of equal. So we now have a second level of excusing differences for the sake of symmetry, the excuse which exists right at the level of producing the equation.
N=1/N has two very different meanings in practice. Context means everything — jgill
You can write a condition on energies, say that the kinetic energy equals potential energy. The quantities are the same on both sides, Joule, that is. Dimensional analysis is, by the way, a useful tool if both sides of a = sign are consistent. In the equation of two energies, this is obvious but in complicated expressions it comes in handy and you can even use it to anticipate. — Cornwell1
Yeah, another doh! moment for me, to add to my ever-growing collection. — universeness
I think the last one doesn't apply in your usage. But I got the feeling — Cornwell1
Is math powerless without =? — Cornwell1
I noticed that N=1/N seems to only have the solution N=1, is this the only solution? — universeness
The other meaning I have in mind is quite different. Hint: I have written hundreds of mathematical programs in BASIC. — jgill
Having to number every code line was fun eh? — universeness
So by N=1/N you mean the new N becomes the inverse of the old, for example 3 becomes 1/3? — Cornwell1
I wrote many programs in my very early days as a teacher in BBC BASIC.
Having to number every code line was fun eh? — universeness
Is math powerless without =? Is the = the tyrant who equalizes both sides to his advantage, and if so, what's the advantage? — Cornwell1
I assumed by 'my image' you were referring to the icon which takes you to your profile page but when I went there, I could find no code exampleClick on my image to see an example. — jgill
I could find no code example — universeness
My initial encounter with computers was a graduate math course in numerical analysis taken in 1962. We wrote short programs, turned them in to someone behind a window where IBM cards would be punched, and finally after a day or so, run through a machine the size of a large room. Then we would find we had made a mistake, and would repeat the process over several days.
It was not a pleasant experience. — jgill
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