• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

The 17 Equations That Changed The Course Of History

Odd to pick only 17. Where for example are kepler's laws and newton's laws of motion? To exclude those is bizarre.
 
At the risk of sounding stupid, how about 1+1=2. Seriously. The concept of math has to start somewhere...
 
Weird that the article mentions Newton's laws of motion in the description of Maxwells but fails to list them. That was a big oversight.

Another glaring omission is eulers formula
 
Last edited:
F=ma is a big omission. If you put that in, you basically get Newton's gravity (a = GM/r^2) and a bunch of other things.

edit: actually, I think the way Newton originally wrote it was

p = mv

dp/dt = vdm/dt + mdv/dt

Usually you have dm/dt = 0, so you're left with dp/dt = mdv/dt

Or dp/dt = ma

Or F = dp/dt

Not sure off to top of my head which one he used originally.
 
Last edited:
The Boston Dangler said:
where the hell are newton's laws of motion 1, 2 and 3? pi? t=$?

and if you think e=mc^2, it turns out you're wrong.
Click to expand...

Last time I checked, nuclear reactors were pretty stationary - they weren't orbiting the Earth at high speed, and Newton's laws easily fall under calculus.

I don't think Euler's Formula for polyhedra did much to change the world. And, I'm not so sure that the formula listed for chaos theory really did much other than give students of mathematics a more intuitive understanding of how chaotic certain equations may behave. Pythagoras' theorem was certainly known before his time - unless I'm mistaken, there's evidence that even the ancient Babylonians used it. Nonetheless, I don't think it "changed the world." Ditto for the imaginary unit. It was conceived of by one of the Greeks, later re"discovered" by Cardano (I think), but remained mostly useless for a few hundred more years. (Not that it isn't really important these days.) For those complaining about the lack of Newton's Laws, perhaps they fall under the umbrella of calculus? (Since, can't all of Newtonian mechanics be derived using a bit of calculus?) Likewise someone mentioned Kepler's Laws which can be directly derived from Newton's laws. http://www.vikdhillon.staff.shef.ac.uk/teaching/phy105/celsphere/phy105_derivation.html Probably why Lagrange was left out of the list as well.

Of all of the equations, I think Maxwell's equations had the most profound influence on the world.
 
Last edited:
Fenixgoon said:
i would like to point out that Leibniz is responsible for the notation used in modern calculus, so he should be on there too, not just Newton 😛

recognized everything except the last 3.
Click to expand...
<singing>
Why he wrote it I can't say, Leibnitz just liked it better that way.
Soooooo f of x plus h minus f of x all over h as h drops to zero is the formula to find the derivative to otherwise state instantaneous rate.
</singing>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90SYZNnO3z8
edit: not my class singing - I've never recorded my class while they sang that song. It's amazing to see even the weakest math students quickly memorize the formula for the derivative (and what it does) using that song.
 
Last edited:
How about basic probability?

On that note, Against the Gods should be required reading for everyone.
 
DrPizza said:
<singing>
Why he wrote it I can't say, Leibnitz just liked it better that way.
Soooooo f of x plus h minus f of x all over h as h drops to zero is the formula to find the derivative to otherwise state instantaneous rate.
</singing>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90SYZNnO3z8
edit: not my class singing - I've never recorded my class while they sang that song. It's amazing to see even the weakest math students quickly memorize the formula for the derivative (and what it does) using that song.
Click to expand...

that's pretty hilarious 😀
 
DrPizza said:
can't all of Newtonian mechanics be derived using a bit of calculus
Click to expand...

I don't consider calculus an "equation". It's a technique and there are equations involved, but I wouldn't say that equations of motions fall out of it any more than Maxwells. Easier to work with, and to get there, however calculus does not motion make.

Maxwell had an incredible mind. His equations work almost as well as quantum electrodynamics in the vast majority of cases and is an outstanding work. Many think of Einstein as THE genius, however it is my opinion that Maxwell had the superior mind. Another I consider among the first tier who was mentioned, but not nearly as well known as Maxwell or Einstein was J. Willard Gibbs. Absolutely astounding.

Euler and Gauss? Gods among men 😀
 
Svnla said:
Ok, you nerds, especially the math and science grads, do ya'll agree or disagree? Are there other equations even better/more important? What say you?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/17-equations-changed-course-history-212340619.html
Click to expand...

a huge number of theorems in statistics rely on Cauchy's inequality.

information theory relies heavily on Chebyshev's inequality.

from my way of thinking, equations are less impressive than inequalities. because we're placing ballparks on unknowns.
 
Last edited:
I saw this one posted in the dorms in college:
7Oa8NP6.gif
. Must be important!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top