this post was submitted on 07 May 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (3 children)

How can nothing be a number

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Because a number isn't just a representation of a size or amount - that's called a scalar. A number can also represent a point in a space, the label of a vertex on a graph and probably some other things too.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

BTW, 0 is typically considered a scalar. As in mathematics scalar is typically defined as a field, which would require an additive identity, namely 0.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

Wouldnt it be best to think of it more as the representation of the absence of something?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Hi, mathematician here. What's a "number"?