←back to thread

BusyBeaver(6) Is Quite Large

(scottaaronson.blog)
271 points bdr | 3 comments | 28 Jun 25 16:53 UTC | HN request time: 1.246s | source
Show context
sedatk ◴[28 Jun 25 17:50 UTC] No.44406683[source]▶
> Also, the left-superscript means tetration, or iterated exponentiation: for example, 1510 means 10 to the 10 to the 10 and so on 15 times.

I thought it was a typo. First time I encounter tetration.

replies(2): >>44407005 #>>44408544 #
griffzhowl ◴[28 Jun 25 18:33 UTC] No.44407005[source]▶
Continuing the theme of iteration: it was the first time I encountered pentation
replies(1): >>44407333 #
1. tialaramex ◴[28 Jun 25 19:13 UTC] No.44407333[source]▶
One of the reasons I like the use of the number line in schools is that on the line it's more obvious when you're shown addition and multiplication and then later exponeniation that this is a pattern. With the number line, two natural questions arise and, hopefully by the time you're taught exponentiation the Math teacher knows enough math to confidently affirm the answer to both. Yes, it keeps going like this forever, that's called Hyperoperation. And yes, we did (probably) skip one, it's known as Successor-of and you were probably not explicitly shown this operator but it's the near end of that infinite succession.

When arithmetic is introduced just as a way to, for example, count money, it's more directly practical in the moment, but you're not seeing the larger pattern.

replies(1): >>44407530 #
2. Nevermark ◴[28 Jun 25 19:40 UTC] No.44407530[source]▶
Don't forget identity. Its range is small but important!
replies(1): >>44407987 #
3. tialaramex ◴[28 Jun 25 20:38 UTC] No.44407987[source]▶
Fair!