Source
r/math•
MASSPro

how to notate 'The Sum of time does not change'

I posted this in r/learnmath but I'm not sure if no one is there, no cares or no one knows...

Anyway, I hope this is easy for someone, but basically the title says it all. I would like to express the following as a mathematical expression: "The Sum of Time does not change" I have come up with: ΣtΔ = 0 or: Σt ≠ Δ But really, I have no idea what I'm doing. Is there a proper way to represent that mathematically? Thanks!

Posted Oct 15, 2012, 9:30 PM UTC

012
occassionalcomment•

Do you mean without using any English? Because otherwise there is nothing wrong with "Σt is constant".

Alternatively, "Σt = c" would be strongly suggestive of Σt being constant.

3
keithb•

The sum of time does not change, relative to what? Times of what? Is time a continuous or discrete quantity?

3
MASSProOP•

See my answer to Garblesnarky

1
[deleted]•

The sum of what time?

3
garblesnarky•

Just interpreting "Time" as a variable, and not as a concept that has anything to do with the common notion of time - what you're looking for is:

the change in(the sum of (time)) = 0

or:

Δ(Σt) = 0.

Although it is not at all clear, what index the summation is over, or what the change is with respect to.

2
MASSProOP•

The lack of index is fine - I guess what was niggling me as well (intuitively) was that there was not relationship for the delta.

I guess, I should explain why I am looking for this. Although not formally trained, I am huge fan of math. As well, I am very cognisant that our time here on Earth is limited.

To me anyway, representing the fact that there is only so much time available as an equation really engrains the fact that our choices matter. The equation must balance. You cannot 'make' time, it must come at the expense of something you choose not to do (please no philosophical debates on how starting to smoke would reduce time. The equation would get too large, lol)

Now, I do not wear jewellry of any sort, nor do I have any tattoos, but I feel so strongly about this that I am planning to have this equation as a tattoo to constantly remind me of the fact that what we choose has a great consequence.

I probably should have mentioned this at the beginning but I'm not sure how strange it would seem to some folks...

Anyway, I would hate to tattoo the wrong equation, hence my asking for help :)

1
garblesnarky•

I get what you're saying. Personally, I don't think any of the answers here (mine included) capture that idea, and I'm not sure if I could find a mathematical statement of it that works well enough for me to be willing to get a tattoo of it. If one of them works for you, though, then great.

1
MASSProOP•

I'll keep working on it. Sigma t not equal to infinity might work.

1
AFairJudgementSymplectic Topology•

What do you mean? How do you define time mathematically?

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
jstock23•

Say it's constant, or even better say that the derivative is 0 with respect to whatever makes it not change.

1
Calamitizer•

...Oh man.

1
MASSProOP•

Sorry, I haven't been around - been working a lot and was unable to check into reddit (imagine how much was accomplished!)

1