Quote#Wisdom
Strictly speaking, the theory of numbers has nothing to do with…
Quote byGeorge Ballard Mathews · 1861–1922
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Theory of Numbers, 1892, Part 1, sect. 1..
English (original)
Strictly speaking, the theory of numbers has nothing to do with negative, or fractional, or irrational quantities, as such. No theorem which cannot be expressed without reference to these notions is purely arithmetical: and no proof of an arithmetical theorem, can be considered finally satisfactory if it intrinsically depends upon extraneous analytical theories.
— George Ballard Mathews
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