816: Applied Math

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
(Redirected from 816)
Jump to: navigation, search
Applied Math

[edit] Explanation



Since most of the content of computer science textbooks is fundamentally based on logic, Megan's proof obviously spells doom for Dr. Knuth's, as each instance of logic can now be considered an error. After Megan's friend confirms the validity of her proof, Megan writes a letter to Dr. Knuth to collect her money for the 1,317,408 errors in The Art of Computer Programming at $2.56 each. Note that using Megan's work, any number of errors, including zero, is both equal and unequal to 1,317,408 errors, and she chose the number 1,317,408 arbitrarily.



[edit] Transcript

Ponytail: Wow. I can't find fault with your proof.
Megan: Excellent. On to step two...
Dear Dr. Knuth,
[She continues to write.]
I am writing to collect from you the $3,372,564.48 I am owed for discovering 1,317,408 errors in The Art of Computer Programming...





Which is a reference to xkcd #704. 11:45, 8 June 2015 (UTC)

If you look in the top-right corner, you can see what looks like "ZFC," (Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory with the Axiom of Choice), which is a a dozen or so axioms that all of mathematics is built upon. Because of Godel's Incompleteness Theorems, it is impossible to prove that ZFC contains no contradictions (unless it actually does contain contradictions). If Megan proved the inconsistency of logic, she certainly could show as a corrollary the inconsistency of ZFC, and therefore all of mathematics. Even statements like 2+2=4 could be proven false. String userName = new String(); (talk) 20:20, 7 May 2015 (UTC)

Personal tools


