Graham's Number
Today, during our calendar time, a question about "big numbers" came up and one of our student's shared the idea that "Graham's Number is the largest known number". This lead to more questions - of course! I told the student's that I would share the concept of Graham's Number on our blog and encouraged those who have some time this evening to see what they can found out about this number with its own name. We will bring our learning and knowledge back to class tomorrow for sharing.
Here's a video on Graham's Number and an article from Scientific American.
The LAST 500 digits in Graham's number are …02425950695064738395657479136519351798334535362521430035401260267716226721604198106522631693551887803881448314065252616878509555264605107117200099709291249544378887496062882911725063001303622934916080254594614945788714278323508292421020918258967535604308699380168924988926809951016905591995119502788717830837018340236474548882222161573228010132974509273445945043433009010969280253527518332898844615089404248265018193851562535796399618993967905496638003222348723967018485186439059104575627262464195387
This conversation is well beyond grade three curriculum but - much like our conversation about chemistry and the periodic table of the elements - sometimes we go where the questions take us! That said - understanding big numbers is, as the kids would say, mind blowing!
Spoiler Alert: Graham's Number was the largest specific positive integer to have been used in a published mathematical proof. That title is now held by (TREE)3.
Good luck exploring higher mathematics!
Mrs. V
Here's a video on Graham's Number and an article from Scientific American.
The LAST 500 digits in Graham's number are …02425950695064738395657479136519351798334535362521430035401260267716226721604198106522631693551887803881448314065252616878509555264605107117200099709291249544378887496062882911725063001303622934916080254594614945788714278323508292421020918258967535604308699380168924988926809951016905591995119502788717830837018340236474548882222161573228010132974509273445945043433009010969280253527518332898844615089404248265018193851562535796399618993967905496638003222348723967018485186439059104575627262464195387
This conversation is well beyond grade three curriculum but - much like our conversation about chemistry and the periodic table of the elements - sometimes we go where the questions take us! That said - understanding big numbers is, as the kids would say, mind blowing!
Spoiler Alert: Graham's Number was the largest specific positive integer to have been used in a published mathematical proof. That title is now held by (TREE)3.
Good luck exploring higher mathematics!
Mrs. V
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