Divergent Thinking: Working with Divergent Series episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 22, 2023 · 49 MIN

Divergent Thinking: Working with Divergent Series

from The Math Club · host Pete and Noah

If we gave you a bunch of positive whole numbers and asked what you get when you add them all up, you'd have a pretty easy time of it...  you are The Math Club, after all.  But what if we gave you an infinite series of positive whole numbers and asked you what you get when you add them all up?  In this episode, Pete and Noah talk about how mathematicians go about assigning a value in this seemingly impossible situation.  Join us and learn about divergent series, and be ready to be surprised by some of the results. • The Numberphile video • Leave us a voice message • Email us • Follow us on Twitter Questions Answered in the Episode: • What is the difference between a convergent series and a divergent series? • How can the sum of all positive integers be negative one-twelfth?

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Divergent Thinking: Working with Divergent Series

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This episode was published on March 22, 2023.

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If we gave you a bunch of positive whole numbers and asked what you get when you add them all up, you'd have a pretty easy time of it...  you are The Math Club, after all.  But what if we gave you an infinite series of positive whole numbers and...

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