Notes from reading Zero, Charles Seife
The Babylonians used zero as a place holder symbol which was two slanted wedges. p.15
Egyptians liked geometry and the Greeks liked ratios. Both hated irrational numbers. The diagonal line of a square was a problem which is square root of 2. p.36
The Golden ratio. Convergence of each Fibonacci number 1/1, 2/1, 3/2, 5/3, 8/5, 13/8, 21/13… gets closer and closer to the Golden Ratio 1.618... p.79
Zero goes into something infinite times, so you would think something divided by zero would equal infinity, but that is incorrect, it is undefined.
A limit has to approach something. If there is no zero, then what would it approach. You can take a limit because it approaches a value and no more. p.44 & p.106
If you multiply two negative numbers, you get a positive. So, how can you take the square root of a negative number? Why i of course! p.134
ax^2+bx+c=0. Zero to get roots 🤦♂️ p.132
Got lost in Chapter 6, Riemann Sphere to Georg Cantor and stadium seating.
End of blog. Thank you for reading!
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