Powered by MathJax From GCSE Maths, to Rocket Scientist...: Reflecting on Number Theory

Friday 1 November 2013

Reflecting on Number Theory

I think that both Chris and Duncan, were spot on, when they identified that the level of thought and abstraction involved in level 3 number theory, is much more thought provoking and much less formulaic, when it comes to answering problems based on the material.

On first examination, many of the number theory theorems presented in the course material are, ostensibly, elementary; and one can be fooled into thinking that they are, almost, trivial.  But this would be underestimating the power of such elementary building blocks on which all of mathematics is essentially laid.

Most of the worlds most beautiful architectural buildings are built using the basic materials that you can find in any common builders yard; but the ways that they are combined, built upon, measured and used as an expression of human thought, are essentially infinite.

Number theory is such a construction.  It is based on simple, axiomatic, undeniable truths, which lead to some very complex and thought provoking conclusions.  Glancing ahead, the strength in such constructions, is probably going to be both confirmed and blown apart at the same time, as I eventually discover what Herr Gödel had to say about these matters.

I can't wait.  The work will have been so worthwhile.

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