Question

When a mathematical value is unsigned, does it automatically assume a positive nature or behaviour?

Answer 1

hmmm i wrote this in my math notes may you give me a sec to get them?

Answer 2

and a value like 0 which is neither positive nor negative, how does it behave and what nature does it assume at any given point in time? and why?

Answer 3

@saifoo.khan

Answer 4

let me show you the nature of unsigned magnitudes
http://openstudy.com/study#/updates/53ecf800e4b0f30a87d4e35b

Answer 5

For example, if you are solving algebraic expressions such as `5+√(40-4)-6` or something like this, then you would assume that the square root is positive.
For limits, you also take the positive root of a √.

I would say yes, mostly.

Answer 6

You cannot assume a variable has a non-negative value just because it does not have a sign in an expression.

Answer 7

Not in all cases, but times you could.

Answer 8

positive nature i would say

Answer 9

why do we drop the positive sign in real numbers then?

Answer 10

the nature and scope of the topic must be considered

Answer 11

Lets vote xD

Answer 12

@sasogeek I think the answer is in a real analysis book I didn't read. Basically I'm pretty sure it's because the construction of negative numbers is based upon the axiomatic assumption of an inverse and is simply notational that we use a hyphen but I'm not sure

Answer 13

in fact positive numbers are merely elements in an ordered field that are greater than 0, the additive identity

Answer 14

The question is not well defined.

Answer 15

if I ask you to add two numbers, five and six, my best guess is your first answer will be eleven. but my question is, how do we even know that nature or state of that number (if you get what i mean). possible values are eleven, negative one, and one. but with what reason are unsigned numbers mostly assumed to be positive? and what really are their true nature, and more especially their behaviour in computations?

I hope I've made some sense lol

Answer 16

unless ofcourse i don't understand what unsigned numbers are to begin with. just my random thoughts at the moment.

Answer 17

sasogeek, you need to know of the concept of an ordered field... integers under addition and multiplication are an ordered field and satisfy certain properties. -5 and 5 are very different numbers. 5 is the successor of 4, while -5 is the additive INVERSE of 5

Answer 18

signs are merely notational.

Answer 19

interesting

Answer 20

when we say 11-5 we actually mean 11+(-5), or 11 plus the additive inverse of 5

Answer 21

i just believe that in as much as signs are a notational thing, they give a sense of direction to some extent. when i say move 5 steps away from 0, do i mean move 5 steps in the positive direction or 5 steps in the negative direction...? again, just my thoughts about why math makes or should make sense.... need some clarity on a few things.

Answer 22

Well, if you look at it that way, you could say that the positive means five steps such that the new numbers is greater than the old, and negative means five steps such that the new number is less than the old

Answer 23

just because something is notational does not mean it doesn't have to make sense intuitively. Just look at our calculus notation

Answer 24

true. but it shouldn't be disregarded that notations have a relationship with true value. and that's where my thoughts and the question intersect, but you certainly make perfect sense. I'm going back to read elementary algebra now to keep my sanity, hopefully i haven't lost it.

Answer 25

Well, the way I like to think of it, good notations reflect a wide variety of truths unambiguously, but because of the axiomatic nature of mathematics, should be able to be simplifed into a definition in terms of notation or axioms, or theorems resulting from axioms