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/sci/ - Science & Math

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6021649 No.6021649 [Reply] [Original]

Hey /sci/, just a quick question.

Does anybody have any pointers for me? I want to start writing a paper on negative numbers, specifically their ontological status. I'm just wondering if anyone has researched this and could give me a point in the right direction on any authors that may have touched this.

I've already looked for some authors, but I would like to ask some of you guys and see who you recommend.

>> No.6021686

bump

>> No.6021713

well for starters negative numbers are purely theoretical and do not exist in nature, they are merely an easy to explain shit

>> No.6021814

>>6021713

How do you know that negative numbers do not exist in nature?

>> No.6021817

>>6021713
That is also true of positive numbers.
You can have a positive number of items, but not a positive number itself.

And in nature, if the Autumn comes and a tree starts to shed its leaves, then there is a reduction in the number of leaves.
Lots of leaves - Some leaves = Less leaves

Negative numbers of objects in nature, no?

>> No.6021832

Start with zero, one, addition, and multiplication.

Suppose you want the addition of any two numbers to also be a number. Bam, positive integers. You get the multiplication of two numbers for free here as well.

Now let's define the inverse of addition as suotraction. Want the subtraction of any two numbers to be a number? Well, now you have negative numbers.

Same thing works for division (multiplication inverse) and rational numbers. Real numbers are slightly trickier and I don't trust myself to do it right from memory.

If you want the coefficients of any factored polynomial to be numbers, yoo get the complex numbers too.

>> No.6022329

>>6021649
begin here :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_number#History
then references.
(more generally, any classes speaking of the construction of Z will have an intro/history part. Look at the references)

Be careful, "ontological status" is a dangerous expression on /sci/. That's why I sage