Math proof Memes

The mathematical sleight of hand shown here is the infamous "proof" that 1+2+3+4+... = -1/12, which somehow transforms an obviously divergent infinite series into a negative fraction. It's like claiming you can pay off infinite debt with eight cents and change. What makes this particularly painful to mathematicians is that this result actually appears in string theory calculations, despite violating everything we learned about convergence. The person's bewilderment perfectly captures every mathematician's internal screaming when someone casually mentions this "equality" at conferences. Next they'll try to convince us that 0.999... ≠ 1. The horror never ends.

The mathematical horror show we never knew we needed! The top panel shows Mr. Incredible looking calm and collected at the proof that √2 is irrational—a standard math class trauma we've all recovered from. But the bottom panel? PURE TERROR at proving π is irrational! That skull is every math student who's glimpsed the 761-step nightmare that is the π proof. Even mathematicians run screaming from that one! Remember kids, some numbers just want to watch the world burn... and π is their evil overlord.