The Most Beautiful Equations
This is a nice comment-thread and poll on Quora responding to the question “What is the most beautiful equation?”
http://www.quora.com/Mathematics/What-is-the-most-beautiful-equation
No surprise to see Euler’s Identity on top with a whopping 350 votes.
There are fun entries all throughout thread, and I definitely learned a few things through perusing. And I guess I can forgive the participants for including some inequalities on the list.
10 Comments
Tao Wang · February 9, 2011 at 1:13 pm
I would define beauty in mathematics and science as 1) short, 2) easy to understand, 3) describes an idea that is non-obvious. Euler’s identity certainly fits #1 and #3 but not #2. In my opinion, the most beautiful equation is F=ma.
MrHonner · February 9, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Shouldn’t “Truth” also be a requirement?
Tao Wang · February 10, 2011 at 3:12 pm
ahem, “describes a ‘true’ idea that is non-obvious”
MrHonner · February 10, 2011 at 3:30 pm
I think “F = ma” fails to meet the truth requirement.
James T · February 9, 2011 at 7:37 pm
I would consider V-E+F=2
Troy Singletary · February 13, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Personally I think the Dirac equation should be at/near the top. It predicted antimatter before it was experimentally discovered!
da hua · February 13, 2011 at 10:17 pm
I think it’s e^ipi = -1 (Euler’s identity).
Juejun Xiao · February 16, 2011 at 1:20 am
I like the equation
1+3 = B
Juejun Xiao · February 16, 2011 at 1:28 am
whats the Limit, as i approaching to u, of the function (i + me),
The limit is u and me.
Don’t throw rocks at me.
Michael Harper · July 8, 2012 at 1:36 am
hands down. (∆x)(m)(∆v)=h/2