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A comment on Mathematicians are chronically lost and confused (2014). Parent comment

Re:Mathematicians are chronically lost and confused (2014) by sn9 on Saturday June 11, 2016 @02:15AM (#11882322)
The sort of number theory that mathematicians studied for centuries had no practical use until the development of cryptography and computing in the latter half of the 20th century.

That's why Hardy famously used it as his example of mathematics done with no consideration or hope of there ever being a practical application.

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Re:Mathematicians are chronically lost and confused (2014) by Retra on Saturday June 11, 2016 @01:07PM (#11884236)
I'm talking about education. Mathematicians work on useless stuff all the time. They don't teach it as part of their core curriculum.

Either way, Hardy was wrong. Number theory became relevant because of the work of people who thought it could be. There was hope for a practical application, even if Hardy couldn't see it.

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Re:Mathematicians are chronically lost and confused (2014) by lostlogin on Saturday June 11, 2016 @04:14PM (#11885127)
> latter half of the 20th century.

Nitpick - latter half of the first half.

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