From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Mon Mar 11 2002 - 15:51:15 MST
On Mon, Mar 11, 2002 at 12:52:22PM -0800, Leonardo Gonzalez wrote:
> I once heard that the beauty of
> e^(i * pi) + 1 = 0
> is that the simple equation contains the five most important constants.
And it unites calculus (e), algebra (i), geometry (pi) and arithmetic
(1). I agree with many in that it is the most beautiful result in
mathematics. I'm really fond of Gauss' theorema egregium and the
Gauss-Bonnet formula, but neither have the simplicity and reach of
Euler's formula. I still remember my amazement and delight when I
managed to prove it on my own using an infinite series expansion in
highschool.
One merit of mathematics few will deny: it says more in fewer words than
any other science. The formula, e^i pi = -1 expressed a world of
thought, of truth, of poetry, and of the religious spirit "God eternally
geometrizes."
--David Eugene Smith
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
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