Is Math A Sport?

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Posted by timothy on Saturday July 17, 2004 @08:40AM from the that's-an-album dept.

theodp writes "The close of the International Mathematical Olympiad prompts Slate to question if math is a sport, wondering if mathletes might someday compete in the Olympics alongside track stars and basketball players."

11 of 496 comments (clear)

Well... by sk6307 · 2004-07-17 08:43 · Score: 5, Funny

If curling is a sport, anything is possible.
Re:Ridiculous. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-17 08:44 · Score: 5, Funny

If math is a sport then what isn't a sport.

Bowling.
Sure! by natefanaro · 2004-07-17 08:44 · Score: 5, Funny

Math should be a sport as much as 0 equals 1.
1. Re:Sure! by betelgeuse-4 · 2004-07-17 10:16 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Okay,
  
  x = 1 - 1/2 - 1/4 + 1/3 - 1/6 - 1/8 + 1/5 - 1/10 - ... (i.e. the sum of an infinite series)
  
  Add some brackets:
  
  x = (1 - 1/2) - 1/4 + (1/3 - 1/6) - 1/8 + (1/5 - 1/10) - ...
  
  Resolve the brackets:
  
  x = (1/2) - 1/4 + (1/6) - 1/8 + (1/10) ...
  
  x = (1/2)[1 - 1/2 + 1/3 - 1/4 + 1/5 - ...]
  
  x = x/2
  
  Multiply by 2:
  
  2x = x
  
  Divide by x:
  
  2 = 1
  
  Subtract 1:
  
  1 = 0
  
  Therefore maths is a sport.
  
  Hopefully I haven't made any mistakes :)
  
  --
  Decode these
If Math is or is not a sport... by atomic-penguin · 2004-07-17 08:45 · Score: 5, Funny

I would like to see a mathematical proof written to support the claim.

--
/^([Ss]ame [Bb]at (time, |channel.)){2}$/
Re:Ridiculous. by Corgha · 2004-07-17 08:53 · Score: 5, Funny

If math is a sport then what isn't a sport. Fuck. [emphasis mine]

You said it. That is something that probably won't be in the Olympics for a long while.
Another NO by pr0c · 2004-07-17 08:55 · Score: 4, Funny

In all real sports you can reasonable expect someone to get injured.

If someone isn't going to get hurt.. why bother!
Re:I disagree... by Epistax · 2004-07-17 09:01 · Score: 5, Funny

I'd like to see you play defense in bowling. Or golf. I'll bring the camera, you bring the ambulance.
Re:I disagree... by dancingmad · 2004-07-17 09:05 · Score: 4, Funny

You have to be able to stop someone else from scoring.

Isn't that the definition of masturbation?

--
"There is no time, sir, at which ties do not matter," Jeeves, (Jeeves and the Impending Doom)
Math Isn't A Sport: A Proof By Contradiction by B2K3 · 2004-07-17 09:46 · Score: 5, Funny

Step 1: Assume Math is a sport.
Step 2: If Math is a sport, all Math nerds are athletes.
Step 3: All atheletes are jocks (remember high school?).
Step 4: All jocks beat up math nerds (again, re: high school).
Conclusion: All Math nerds beat up math nerds.
But: I am a math nerd, and have never beaten anyone up (including myself or any another math nerd).
This is a contradiction.
Ergo, Math isn't a sport.
QED
Re:Ridiculous. by grammar+fascist · 2004-07-17 11:06 · Score: 5, Funny

Imagine the RATINGS!

XXX, I'd imagine.

--
I got my Linux laptop at System76.