2 + 2 = 5? I will prove it.

Random Quickfact:

My 12th grade math teacher often wore a T-shirt that said:

2 + 2 = 5
(For extremely large values of 2.)


Never really understood it, and I highly doubt I ever would have remembered that again, had it not been for this post. Neat.

i see the logic/illogic behind this, however technically, if your assigning meanings to symbols the + would be 2 and = be 2 as well because of the number of lines to make the symbol, unless you say that the 2 make 1..... then in which case your logic makes no sense at all..... so lets demonstrate

2
2(+)
2
2(=)
8

and at that rate if you turned that 8 sideways you would have a symbol for infintity.... I WIN!

This is fun!!!!!!!

Let's count the asterisks!!!!

* * - How many asterisks there are?
* * - How many more asterisks there are?

Let's see

* * and * *

How many in total?

* * * *

That's four.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

Maybe 2 + 2 does equal to 5?

After all, it takes time to read the equation 2 + 2 = 5.

By the time you get to the = sign, one of those asterisks had a son. Now there are 5 asterisks.

It's all about timing. Yeah, that's it.

Erm...let me get this right, two plus two equals five...ever thought about being a politician? Reminds me of the classic counting beans moment in the second Blackadder series.

You raise a very interesting point. Everything is in the intrepertation of things. What means one thing to one man can mean the absolute opposite to another - not to mention ht ebarriers of language or the fact that they play musical chairs with the words they use when dealing with us - Good one!

2+2 only equals 4 before the equality symbol. Not after. Because after the equality symbol it becomes a different dimension ( A new shape). The fifth shape. Not the forth. Its made of the 4.

What interpretation?

If the plus sign is defined as putting the two groups together and including one more, then it's:

* * AND * * AND * = * * * * *

2 + 2 + 1 = 5

Unless we live in a Orwellian world.

I can't believe this thread actually goes on for three pages. I'll skip the last 2.

Originally posted by Deaf Alien
What interpretation?

If the plus sign is defined as putting the two groups together and including one more, then it's:

* * AND * * AND * = * * * * *

2 + 2 + 1 = 5

Unless we live in a Orwellian world.

No this is what it is:

2+2 is 4 different shapes which create the fifth.

2+2 is 4 items but after = it becomes the 5 item.

2+2 becomes one dimension after the equality symbol. That's what + means.

Using the "+" sign as its own integer to fit your logic is changing the laws of math where a "+" has no value other than the combination of two or more numbers, but since you have told us that "+" is a variable of one and in itself does nothing more than to add one to the total.

This will only work on paper or hence something you can type and see. Trying to use this principal in the real world is improbable and will not work. If you know of a way to do so in the real world, I want to talk to you, I have a few thousand dollars I would like you to add together for me.

How about this:

1 1 + 1 1 = 5 units (11111)

what if these the first 2 stood for two 1 and the second two stood for 1.5, that would equal five.

reply to post by spy66

2+2 is 4 items but after = it becomes the 5 item.

2 + 2 is 4 items? where did you get that? I thought there are 3 items in 2 + 2?

Oh I get it. OH!!!! I GET IT!

2 + 2 = 5 is 5 objects!

Problem solved.

I'm sorry, but this is one of the worst threads I've seen on ATS.

If you can make 2+2=5 by making the + sign equal +1, then I can make 313 + 2 = 435 by making the + sign equal +220.

Sorry, but this thread shoiuld be removed due to a complete waste of space... (Mods, if you're reading )



KJ

Originally posted by YouAreDreaming
Can you demonstrate that with 4 apples?

Or four oranges for that matter and make them five?

You can try to be as " clever " as you like with maths symbols.
But can you do as Youaredreaming says ?
Thought not.

that makes sense but people will still say its improper

[edit on 9-10-2009 by platipus]

Perhaps you are on to something here?

Let's make a set of prime numbers [2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19....]

Of course the addition here would be different from the addition in a set of all integers.

2 + 2 = 5
3 + 3 = 7
5 + 5 = 11

Ok can you explain why 2+2 is 5

Is there a difference between counting items and a mathematical equation!

IS + the same as 1 item or is + the symbol of a specific power. And do you bring that power to the other side of equality?





[edit on 27.06.08 by spy66]

reply to post by spy66


Ooohhhhh I get it. The politician's method.

reply to post by spy66

Ok can you explain why 2+2 is 5 Is there a difference between counting items and a mathematical equation! IS + the same as 1 item or is + the symbol of a specific power. And do you bring that power to the other side of equality?

Ask the OP.

I am trying to make sense of the OP.