Can Equations Be Aesthetic Art?

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  • Thread starter Thread starter Greg Bernhardt
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    2017 Art Contest
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Discussion Overview

The thread explores the aesthetic qualities of mathematical equations, inviting participants to submit their most visually appealing equations without regard to their mathematical significance. The discussion includes a contest format where members can vote on their favorite entries using LaTeX formatting.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose equations based on their visual appeal, such as Stokes' theorem and the Cauchy integral formula, emphasizing the beauty in their structure.
  • Others present equations like the Fibonacci sequence and the wave equation, highlighting their aesthetic qualities while also referencing their mathematical context.
  • Several participants repeatedly share the equation $$\int~e^x = f(u^n)$$, prompting discussions about its meaning and aesthetic value.
  • There are multiple mentions of the famous equation $$e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0$$, with some arguing it embodies beauty due to its simplicity and significance in mathematics.
  • Some entries, such as $$3987^{12} + 4365^{12} = 4472^{12}$$, are met with skepticism regarding their validity as aesthetic contributions, leading to discussions about the rules of the contest.
  • Participants express varying opinions on the relationship between meaning and aesthetic value, with some asserting that meaning enhances beauty while others argue for a purely aesthetic judgment.
  • Humor and light-hearted commentary are present throughout, with participants sharing personal anecdotes and playful remarks about the equations submitted.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally do not reach a consensus on whether aesthetic beauty can be separated from mathematical meaning, with multiple competing views remaining on this topic. The discussion includes both supportive and critical perspectives on various entries.

Contextual Notes

Some equations presented may not adhere strictly to the contest rules, leading to discussions about the validity of certain entries. Additionally, there are unresolved questions regarding the interpretation of aesthetic value in mathematical expressions.

  • #61
\arctan \frac{1}{x}=\frac{\pi}{2}-\arctan x
 
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Science news on Phys.org
  • #62
The ideal gas law
PV=nRT
 
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  • #63
$$\frac {\lambda}{2 \pi}=\frac {\hbar}{mc}\\$$
 
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  • #64
I like the Planck blackbody function: ## \\ ## ## L(\lambda,T)=\frac{2 h c^2}{\lambda^5 (e^{\frac{hc}{\lambda k_b T}}-1)} ##.
 
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  • #65
## E=IR ##

Clean lines. Beautiful simplicity, yet breathtakingly utilitarian.
Like a cold beer on a hot day!

submitted for your approval,
diogenesNY

(I previously cited Ohm's law in a similar thread some years ago... my opinion remains unchanged... although I did have to figure out how to use latex for this one)
 
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  • #66
Ygggdrasil said:
##3987^{12} + 4365^{12} = 4472^{12}##
Ha. Actually pretty easy to disprove.
 
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  • #67
scottdave said:
Ha. Actually pretty easy to disprove.
A numerical computation of it shows it doesn't miss by much. Fermat's last theorem says that it can't be equal, but it's much closer than I expected.
 
  • #68
3987 and 4365 are divisible by 3, therefore their 12th powers are divisible by 3, same for the sum. 4472 is not divisible by 3, and taking the 12th power doesn't change that.
 
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  • #69
Charles Link said:
A numerical computation of it shows it doesn't miss by much. Fermat's last theorem says that it can't be equal, but it's much closer than I expected.
Code:
 3987^12 = x = 16134474609751291283496491970515151715346481.
 4365^12 = y = 47842181739947321332739738982639336181640625.
       x + y = 63976656349698612616236230953154487896987106.
 4472^12 = z = 63976656348486725806862358322168575784124416.
   x + y - z =  error =  1211886809373872630985912112862690.
So, it is not out by much, only by about 1.2 x 10^33.
 
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  • #70
diogenesNY said:
## E=IR ##

Clean lines. Beautiful simplicity, yet breathtakingly utilitarian.
Like a cold beer on a hot day!

submitted for your approval,
diogenesNY

(I previously cited Ohm's law in a similar thread some years ago... my opinion remains unchanged... although I did have to figure out how to use latex for this one)
I like to see it with the E above, and the I and R below that.
 
  • #71
mfb said:
3987 and 4365 are divisible by 3, therefore their 12th powers are divisible by 3, same for the sum. 4472 is not divisible by 3, and taking the 12th power doesn't change that.
That is the easy method to show it.
 
  • #72
scottdave said:
That is the easy method to show it.
A check on simply the last digit does not rule out the possibility that the equality could hold. Before Fermat's last theorem was proven by Andrew Wiles, had someone come up with something like this that worked, it would have been one of the better numerical finds of the century. As I recall, as early as 1970, Fermat's theorem had already been established for exponents ## n ## up to 169, so it would have been some very large numbers that would have been necessary to make such a sum.
 
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  • #73
Charles Link said:
A check on simply the last digit does not rule out the possibility that the equality could hold. Before Fermat's last theorem was proven by Andrew Wiles, had someone come up with something like this that worked, it would have been one of the better numerical finds of the century. As I recall, as early as 1970, Fermat's theorem had already been established for exponents ## n ## up to 169, so it would have been some very large numbers that would have been necessary to make such a sum.
Not the last digit. Sum the digits to see if a multiple of 3.
 
  • #74
scottdave said:
Not the last digit. Sum the digits to see if a multiple of 3.
Yes, @scottdave , @mfb 's method is clever.
 
  • #75
(1+2+3+...+n)^{2}=1^{3} + 2^{3} + 3^{3} +... + n^{3}
 
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  • #76
\begin{matrix}
. & . & . & . & . & . & . & . & . \\
. & P & P & . & . & F & F & F & . \\
. & P & . & P & . & F & .& . & . \\
. & P & P & . & . & F & F & F & . \\
. & P & . & . & . & F & . & . & . \\
. & P & . & . & . & F & . & . & . \\
. & . & . & . & . & . & . & . & . \\
\end{matrix}
I Hope everyone likes it.
I'm also hoping that it falls within the rules as well. :angel:
 
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  • #77
\begin{equation} D^{1}\left( uv\right) =uD^{1}v+vD^{1}u \end{equation}
$$ \rm {and~ the~ binomial~ expansion~ formula} $$
\begin{equation}\left ( a^{1}b^{0}+a^{0}b^{1}\right) ^{n}=\sum ^{n}_{i=0}\binom {n} {i}a^{i}b^{n-i} \end{equation}
$$\rm together~ imply~ Leibniz' ~ theorem:$$
$$~D^{n}\left( uv\right) =(D^{0}uD^{1}v+D^{1}uD^0{v})^{n}~ =\sum ^{n}_{i=0}\binom {n} {i}D^nu D^{n-i}v $$
^^ just fits on a page in my preview. It was not necessary for this competition that the equations be true or useful, but whether that is so can be discussed on another thread. :oldsmile:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/prove-the-leibnitz-rule-of-derivatives.924400/
 
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  • #78
stoomart said:
##\overbrace{\smile}^{\theta\theta}##
I think this is the only one so far which fulfills the propositions.
 
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  • #79
What exactly is the definition of equation used for this thread? Some of the things posted, I would call formulae, some expressions and so on.
 
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  • #80
At least there must be some wisdom in the symbols to call it equation, like in this one:
##
\widehat{\dbinom{\odot_\text{v}\odot}{\wr}}
##
 
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  • #81
If the above is not counted as an actual equation, then I would mention one of the most difficult unsolved problems in number theory:
##a+b=c##
 
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  • #82
Demystifier said:
If the above is not counted as an actual equation, then I would mention one of the most difficult unsolved problems in number theory:
##a+b=c##
"Unsolved" is debatable. O.k. apparently nobody can really follow the suggested proof, but does this count for "unsolved"?
 
  • #84
A Srinivasa Ramanujan formula:

\frac{1}{1+\frac{e^{-2\pi\sqrt{5}}}{1+\frac{e^{-4\pi\sqrt{5}}}{1+\frac{e^{-6\pi\sqrt{5}}}{1+\cdots}}}}\,=\, \left(\frac{\sqrt{5}}{1+\sqrt[5]{5^{\frac{3}{4}}\left(\frac{\sqrt{5}-1}{2}\right)^{\frac{5}{2}}-1}}-\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}\right)\cdot e^{\frac{2\pi}{\sqrt{5}}}

a beautiful combination of ##1,2,3,4,5,6## and other ...
Ssnow
 
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  • #85
fresh_42 said:
"Unsolved" is debatable. O.k. apparently nobody can really follow the suggested proof, but does this count for "unsolved"?
I didn't know that there is a suggested proof. Reference?
 
  • #86
Ssnow said:
a beautiful combination of 1,2,3,4,5,6 and other ...
I see a nest of golden ratios in there, (√5 ± 1 ) / 2.
 
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  • #87
Greg Bernhardt said:
We have a tie between @Orodruin and @MarkFL and someone needs to break it!
12 vs 10 at the moment.
Demystifier said:
I didn't know that there is a suggested proof. Reference?
The Wikipedia page has a link to it.
 
  • #89
Looks like @Ygggdrasil 's takeoff on Fermat's Last theorem has the #3 spot.
 
  • #90
@Orodruin wins! It is very elegant. Thanks all!
 
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