Jean Abou Samra <[email protected]> writes: > Le 18/01/2023 à 01:29, David Zelinsky a écrit : >> No, it's really not quirky. A "rational" number is a ratio of two >> integers. An irrational number is one that cannot be so expressed. The >> word "ratio" comes from Latin for calculation. The common english usage >> of "rational" meaning sensible presumably stems from the ancient Greeks >> view that only rational numbers make sense. But the mathematical >> definition is really more fundamental. More rational, one might say :) > > > Oh, I was being sarcastic against the fallacious “argument”. > I know what a rational number is; I've been a math student, > you know :)
Sorry I missed the sarcasm :) But in fact it's not an unreasoble question. If one thinks the mathematical usage originally came from the common english usage, then it does seem pretty arbitrary. I myself had to think for a second when first presented this argument, to realize that's not the etymology of the mathematical term. -David
