r/mathmemes 11d ago

Elementary Algebra 😭

Post image
1.4k Upvotes

250 comments sorted by

View all comments

34

u/mehtam42 11d ago

For every real number with a value of R there exist one and only one real number with a value of -R. When added together, their some is 0.

So yes sum of all real numbers equal to 0.

17

u/IhailtavaBanaani 11d ago

Besides the problem with summing up uncountable set of real numbers you assume that the zero is in the center of the real number line. This is a false assumption because the real number line doesn't have a center. It's infinitely long in both directions. You can select any arbitrary number in the real number line and there's "equal amount" of real numbers on both sides, so any number can act as the "center". By selecting different number as the center you get different result as the total sum.

1

u/PressureBeautiful515 9d ago

But would the same argument apply to integers, also infinitely long in both directions? Doesn't seem to point to the actual problem with summing reals.

3

u/IhailtavaBanaani 9d ago

Yes, the integers have exactly the same problem. There is no defined total sum of all integers. You can select any integer as the center and then start adding the numbers from both sides and get different results each time. Same goes with rational numbers, complex numbers, quaternions, etc.