Fact of the Day: 10/10/2020
Have you ever heard of the number π? How about the numbers i or e? You may have heard about the number π in math class: it represents the ratio of the circumference of any circle to its diameter. It is also a (famous) irrational number, meaning it goes on and on and on without repetition (3.14159…). Chances are, unless you’ve begun more advanced mathematics, you haven’t heard of the numbers i and e. The number i represents the number √(-1) and since you can’t take the square root of a negative number, it is considered imaginary (though we also refer it as a lateral number). The number e (2.71828…) is also an irrational number, and is used in the calculation of compound interest and exponential growth or decay. Each of these numbers has very weird and crazy results; however, what if we combined them? Euler did that in his equation (known as Euler’s equation), where he found eiπ + 1. And guess what the result was? The number 0! Combining these unusual numbers in this unusual way created such a simple and eloquent result, and such is the nature of mathematics. You never know what you’ll come up with.
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