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Infinity Affinities Trivia Quiz

A quiz about a very big mathematical concept: infinity!

A multiple-choice quiz by timence. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
timence

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
360,154

Updated
Aug 07 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
445

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The concept of infinity can be traced back a long way, including to an ancient culture that gave us the mathematician Pythagoras. Which one? Hint

Arabia

Rome

Greece

Egypt

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Question 2 of 10

2. Georg Cantor is credited as being the first to adequately define infinity in its modern form. What theory, based on groupings of numbers, did he use to do this? Hint

Set Theory

Algebra

Calculus

Logic Theory

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Question 3 of 10

3. What is the symbol for infinity? Hint

A horseshoe

An 8 on its side

A 9 on its side

A degree sign

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Question 4 of 10

4. According to Cantor's calculations, what is infinity plus one equal to? Hint

Zero

Undefined

Infinity

Near infinity

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Question 5 of 10

5. What is infinity divided by infinity equal to? Hint

Infinity

Indeterminate

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Question 6 of 10

6. A googolplex is such a big number that it is considered equivalent to infinity.

True

False

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Question 7 of 10

7. What happens if I multiply any number (except zero), x, by infinity? What is the result? Hint

Infinity

Depends on the size of x

Undefinable

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Question 8 of 10

8. This one looks a bit more straight-forward (but is it?). What is the result of subtracting infinity from infinity? Hint

Indeterminate

Infinity

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Question 9 of 10

9. Part of Cantor's theories of infinity actually identifed a hierarchy of infinities (that is, some infinite sets that are bigger than others).

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. One more mathematical question to finish with: should be an easy one now that you've had all that practice. What is infinity multiplied by infinity? Hint

Undefined

Infinity

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The concept of infinity can be traced back a long way, including to an ancient culture that gave us the mathematician Pythagoras. Which one?

Answer: Greece

The ancient Greeks knew about infinity: for example the philosopher Aristotle discussed very large groups of numbers that could not be practically counted. However, they were not able to define it as a mathematical concept and had trouble visualising something that never ended.

2. Georg Cantor is credited as being the first to adequately define infinity in its modern form. What theory, based on groupings of numbers, did he use to do this?

Answer: Set Theory

Cantor's proof of the existence of infinity, published in 1874, showed that sets of numbers can be both finite and infinite. Some end at a certain point (for example, integers under 10), and some do not (for example, odd integers).

3. What is the symbol for infinity?

Answer: An 8 on its side

Known as the lemniscate, it is basically a figure 8 on its side (?). Having its origins in Indian culture, its opposing circles are said to represent equality between opposing forces.

4. According to Cantor's calculations, what is infinity plus one equal to?

Answer: Infinity

Set theory uses 'paired' numbers to explain this phenomenon. Because there is an infinite set to begin with, a set of infinity plus one things is actually equivalent to a set of infinity things.

5. What is infinity divided by infinity equal to?

Answer: Indeterminate

Division is only possibly using integers or some extension thereof. This is similar to the situation where you try dividing by zero; it just can't be mathematically done.

6. A googolplex is such a big number that it is considered equivalent to infinity.

Answer: False

A googolplex is equal to ten to the power of a Googol (which is in turn 10 to the power of 100). However, given a lot of time, you could theoretically count to it, so it is not inifinite. Also, you can think of bigger numbers, which means it is finite by definition.

7. What happens if I multiply any number (except zero), x, by infinity? What is the result?

Answer: Infinity

Oddly enough, any nonzero number multiplied by infinity will still equal infinity. Cantor famously noted "I see it, but I do not believe it" when discovering some of these results for himself through set theory.

8. This one looks a bit more straight-forward (but is it?). What is the result of subtracting infinity from infinity?

Answer: Indeterminate

As per the previous questions, it all comes down to the size of infinity in each case, which we don't know.

9. Part of Cantor's theories of infinity actually identifed a hierarchy of infinities (that is, some infinite sets that are bigger than others).

Answer: True

This is where it gets very complicated. Essentially, there are sets of infinity that can be broadly defined (e.g. the set of whole numbers). However, beneath these there are larger sets (e.g. the set of real numbers, which includes decimal expressions) that are also infinite. This is called the continuum theory and remains a hot topic of debate among modern mathematicians.

10. One more mathematical question to finish with: should be an easy one now that you've had all that practice. What is infinity multiplied by infinity?

Answer: Infinity

Hope you nailed that last one! Any number times infinity equals infinity, including infinity itself.

Source: Author timence

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor WesleyCrusher before going online.
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