The most interesting math problem I've seen in a long time

Eeezee

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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0
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e^z = 0

Solve for z

Beer for the first person to solve it

(Hint: A solution exists)

(Hint 2: It's not negative infinity)

And just to blow your mind, e^(2*pi*i) = 1
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
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you know, the funny thing is, if you had said 10^z I would have figured out the answer was log(0) immediately. Damn you e, you tricked me once again!
 

jman19

Lifer
Nov 3, 2000
11,225
664
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Originally posted by: coomar
isn't ln 0 equivalent to negative infinity

I do believe that it is defined as that... but more acurately, ln x approaches -inf as x approaches 0+... x=0 is an asymptote of the function ln x, so I don't think it's valid to say that the solution is ln(0)... though I most definitely may be wrong :p
 

Eeezee

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
9,922
0
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Originally posted by: coomar
well i visualize y=e^x and it only approaches zero at negative infinitity

That's right, it approaches zero but never reaches it. That would make negative infinity a solution to the limit, but it is not a solution to z in e^z = 0.
 

Eeezee

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
9,922
0
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Originally posted by: jman19
Originally posted by: coomar
isn't ln 0 equivalent to negative infinity

I do believe that it is defined as that... but more acurately, ln x approaches -inf as x approaches 0+... x=0 is an asymptote of the function ln x, so I don't think it's valid to say that the solution is ln(0)... though I most definitely may be wrong :p

You're completely right :)
 

arcenite

Lifer
Dec 9, 2001
10,660
7
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Originally posted by: Eeezee
Originally posted by: jman19
Originally posted by: coomar
isn't ln 0 equivalent to negative infinity

I do believe that it is defined as that... but more acurately, ln x approaches -inf as x approaches 0+... x=0 is an asymptote of the function ln x, so I don't think it's valid to say that the solution is ln(0)... though I most definitely may be wrong :p

You're completely right :)

I told him that. I want my beer. Yesterday.
 

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
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actually the answer is e^(i*pi) = 0. the reason it is puzzling is because an imaginary number is interacting with a real number to get nothing.

edit: oops, wrong