Answers Quote by Leonhard Euler
“If a nonnegative quantity was so small that it is smaller than any given one, then it certainly could not be anything but zero. To those who ask what the infinitely small quantity in mathematics is, we answer that it is actually zero. Hence there are not so many mysteries hidden in this concept as they are usually believed to be. These supposed mysteries have rendered the calculus of the infinitely small quite suspect to many people. Those doubts that remain we shall thoroughly remove in the following pages, where we shall explain this calculus.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Elements of Algebra, 1765
Mathematical infinitesimals are effectively zero; the concept holds no mystery once clarified.
In simple terms: Infinitesimals are just zero.
Key Takeaway
Accept that the infinitely small is zero.
Themes
mathematics
calculus
philosophy
clarification
Mood
analytical
educational
Type
explanatory
philosophical
When to use this quote
- teaching calculus
- philosophical debate
- educational text
Key Concepts
infinitesimals
zero
conceptual clarity
Questions to Reflect On
- Is zero truly the only answer?
- How does this view affect calculus teaching?
A Different Perspective
Some argue infinitesimals have useful applications despite being zero.
