arithmetic without introducing inconsistencies. Explain the reasoning leading to Wallis's paradoxical claim that, if negative numbers are less than zero, they must be greater than infinity. Wallis's argument depends, in part, on the assertion that (3/-1) = -3. Must this be true? Why or why not? If a student proposed Wallis's argument, how would you respond?
arithmetic without introducing inconsistencies. Explain the reasoning leading to Wallis's paradoxical claim that, if negative numbers are less than zero, they must be greater than infinity. Wallis's argument depends, in part, on the assertion that (3/-1) = -3. Must this be true? Why or why not? If a student proposed Wallis's argument, how would you respond?
Algebra: Structure And Method, Book 1
(REV)00th Edition
ISBN:9780395977224
Author:Richard G. Brown, Mary P. Dolciani, Robert H. Sorgenfrey, William L. Cole
Publisher:Richard G. Brown, Mary P. Dolciani, Robert H. Sorgenfrey, William L. Cole
Chapter2: Working With Real Numbers
Section2.7: Problem Solving: Consecutive Integers
Problem 14OE
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John Wallis and other 17th century mathematicians were struggling with how to fit negative numbers into arithmetic without introducing inconsistencies.
- Explain the reasoning leading to Wallis's paradoxical claim that, if negative numbers are less than zero, they must be greater than infinity.
- Wallis's argument depends, in part, on the assertion that (3/-1) = -3. Must this be true? Why or why not?
- If a student proposed Wallis's argument, how would you respond?
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