Are e, pi, and i the most important non-integer numbers in mathematics?

[Elbobo]

That's what my Precal teacher said, and so far I agree with him (though that's not saying much as I've only been exposed up to Precal mathematics).

Do all of you mathematicians agree?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Yes.

Also important are Euler's constants e^gamma and gamma, the golden ratio, zeta(3), zeta(2), Brun's constant, W(1), Catalan's G, ...

 

[Werg22]

I'm pretty sure 1/2 is more important than any of those.

 

[epkid08]

That's what my Precal teacher said, and so far I agree with him (though that's not saying much as I've only been exposed up to Precal mathematics).

Do all of you mathematicians agree?

I would say kind of because what they represent in words is important, but the number value they hold is arbitrary.

 

[confinement]

In the world of quantum mechanics this is certainly true, I would say that the order is:

1) e
2) i
3) pi

In precal math you often use e to solve financial problems of calculating continually compounding interest. In calculus you find that e is present anytime that the rate of growth of something is proportional to the current amount e.g. money, population, etc. In advanced group theory you find that the exponential e is involved with compounding the infinitesimal generators of the lie algebra (the tangent space at the identity) into the finite elements of the lie group (the entire manifold).

Pi is found everywhere because spheres and circles are the most symmetrical objects (they are defined to be that way).

The imaginary unit i is of similar importance as the real unit 1. In quantum mechanics i is more important than 1, but 1 is also more important than Pi.

Of course, the decimal representations of pi and e are of no importance.

 

[arildno]

I'm pretty sure 1/2 is more important than any of those.

I totally disagree. 7/13 is much more important than any of the above-mentioned numbers.

 

[Nabeshin]

I thought 22/7 was pi?

 

[Dadface]

The primes are important since they can be regarded as the basic building blocks of all integers

 

[Werg22]

I totally disagree. 7/13 is much more important than any of the above-mentioned numbers.

I haven't seen 7/13 in many applications or mathematical/scientific literature. 1/2 on the other hand...

 

[Dadface]

arildno why do you think 7/13 is important?

 

[arildno]

arildno why do you think 7/13 is important?

Because 6+7=13, whereas 6*7=42!
I thought that would have been obvious.

 

[Dadface]

Oh thanks.Nice one.I used to drive a Ford Prefect.

 

[Hurkyl]

The extended real numbers $\pm \infty$ are pretty darned important, as is projective infinity. Aleph-null too.

 

[uman]

(0.1)^n are pretty important, at least if you consider the decimal representations we use every day to be a part of math!

 

[waht]

Isn't there a better way to combine these?

$$e^{i\pi} = -1$$

 

[Elbobo]

Isn't there a better way to combine these?

$$e^{i\pi} = -1$$

Yeah, that's the reason why he was discussing that in class =P

 

[CRGreathouse]

(0.1)^n are pretty important, at least if you consider the decimal representations we use every day to be a part of math!

No, not really. :)