MTH495

What comes to mind when you hear the word infinity? Some might say forever, never ending, or a huge number that makes their head hurt just thinking about it. To me, infinity is so intriguing. I feel like every math course I've taken has had concrete answers to every problem we solve, every concept we engage in and every equation we analyze - except for the idea of infinity. There is nothing concrete about infinity. What really is infinity? Where does it start? Where does it end? Does infinity truly exist? Aristotle was the first mathematician to give a reasonable description of infinity in terms that are easily understandable to the general population. He divided infinity into two categories - potential infinities and actual infinities . Potential infinities  are like numbers. They go on and on forever with no exact ending point. For example, you could count numbers forever and ever, never reaching an end number. This infinity is one that Aristotle confidently believed in. An act...

Jennifer Nolan 0-th Blog MTH495 - Golden What is math? This answer will change dependent on who you ask, but since you've asked me, I will respond with my own opinion. Math is operations, math is numbers, math is shapes, math is patterns, and sometimes, math is hard. Math is all about applying the skills you've learned through your experiences with problem solving to come up with answers to specific questions. Math is all around us - it's in grocery stores, it's in finances, it's everywhere. People use math without even thinking that they are using math. If you are driving the speed limit on the freeway, how long will it take you to drive 70 miles? Some people might struggle with this question, making it more difficult than it needs to be. The answer is simple! If the speed limit is 70 mph, then you probably can drive 70 miles in about an hour. I'm sure people wouldn't think of miles per hour as a ratio, but it is. I told you, math is everywhere! ...