Re: irrational meters

[David Zelinsky]

Jean Abou Samra <jean@abou-samra.fr> 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