@tomasz@lemmy.ml to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml • 2 years agoMathematicians have verified the Four Colour Theorem by programming a computer to check a large number of cases. Does such a verification count as a proof?message-square4fedilinkarrow-up19arrow-down11
arrow-up18arrow-down1message-squareMathematicians have verified the Four Colour Theorem by programming a computer to check a large number of cases. Does such a verification count as a proof?@tomasz@lemmy.ml to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml • 2 years agomessage-square4fedilink
minus-squareMadlink6•2 years agothe title says “a large number of cases” which isn’t necessarily every possible case. linking the original story or paper would have been good so we could check these things
minus-squareliwottlinkfedilink5•2 years agoThat’s the key indeed. Testing “a large number of cases” is not a proof per se, but can be proven to be sufficient, which is what happened with the four color theorem
the title says “a large number of cases” which isn’t necessarily every possible case.
linking the original story or paper would have been good so we could check these things
That’s the key indeed. Testing “a large number of cases” is not a proof per se, but can be proven to be sufficient, which is what happened with the four color theorem