Abstract
Our first encounter with the natural numbers and integers was in primary school. We first learned to count and then gradually we learned addition, subtraction, multiplication etc. Let us forget about them for a moment. In this talk we shall formally construct the natural numbers (starting from “nothing”!) and then define addition. We shall then see that the natural numbers are, in some sense, “incomplete”. Then integers will be constructed formally, to resolve that crisis. If time permits, I shall also give a sketch on multiplication. Only the knowledge of basic set theory (high school level) and the notion of equivalence relation will be required to follow the talk.
About the Speaker
Dr. Mrinal Kanti Das is a Professor in ISI Kolkata.
Poster for the event, designed by Trishita Patra.