Is Math A Sport?

theodp writes "The close of the International Mathematical Olympiad prompts Slate to question if math is a sport, wondering if mathletes might someday compete in the Olympics alongside track stars and basketball players."

Well...

[sk6307]

If curling is a sport, anything is possible.

Re:Ridiculous.

[Anonymous Coward]

If math is a sport then what isn't a sport.

Bowling.

Sure!

[natefanaro]

Math should be a sport as much as 0 equals 1.

If Math is or is not a sport...

[atomic-penguin]

I would like to see a mathematical proof written to support the claim.

First step

[dewie]

I think the first thing they have to do if they're looking for respect and recognition is to stop calling themselves "mathletes".

Ew.

Yes

[stoborrobots]

And in addition:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Oh, my, Is my math degree showing?

Re:Yes

[Anonymous Coward]

Thats interesting. I would have thought that somebody with a math degree would be smart enough to know that math is not a sport.

Re:Ridiculous.

[Corgha]

If math is a sport then what isn't a sport. Fuck. [emphasis mine]

You said it. That is something that probably won't be in the Olympics for a long while.

Re:Absolutely

[pb9494]

In your definition of sports, beer-drinking is a sport too:
(1) you can train for it, and you actually get better with training.
(2) Your beer-drinking skill can absolutely be measured.
(3) Some people have a gift for beer-drinking.
Most of all, beer-drinking is just fun !
Same reasoning goes for sex, BTW.

Another NO

[pr0c]

In all real sports you can reasonable expect someone to get injured.

If someone isn't going to get hurt.. why bother!

Re:I disagree...

[Epistax]

I'd like to see you play defense in bowling. Or golf. I'll bring the camera, you bring the ambulance.

Beer test

[Anonymous Coward]

Do you want a beer when you sit down and watch it on TV? FAIL

Are pros surrounded by eager young women in every city? FAIL

Bob Costas can tell you more than everything you wanted to know about it? FAIL

Participants use performance-enhancing drugs? PASS

Therefore math is not a sport

Re:I disagree...

[dancingmad]

You have to be able to stop someone else from scoring.

Isn't that the definition of masturbation?

Well...

[MalleusEBHC]

0 does equal 1, for very small values of 1.

Re:Lamest Slashdot article in a long time...

[name773]

yes, you are spot on. the fact that math is both interesting and useful disqualifies it from being a sport :)

Re:I disagree...

[rtaylor]

What can you defensivly do to stop someone in math?

Same as what you do in hockey, check them when they're running for more paper.

I see math as a team sport. You have the 2 people who do the calculations, 2 go-fors (pens, paper, research material), and 2 defense men. Anyone outside the crease (safe-zone) is fair game.

You may also attempt distractions, so long as you do not enter their safe-zone.

Re:Ridiculous.

[black mariah]

It probably would if Brazil had anything to do with it.

Re:I disagree...

[jjoyce]

For example, by your criteria, masturbation can be a sport

Maybe, but not a team sport, because you can win single-handedly.

Re:Sure it is...

[badboy_tw2002]

Yeah, but so is eating hotdogs and chasing monkeys while covered in tar. I'd say take anything from Japan with a grain of salt. :)

Math Isn't A Sport: A Proof By Contradiction

[B2K3]

Step 1: Assume Math is a sport.

Step 2: If Math is a sport, all Math nerds are athletes.

Step 3: All atheletes are jocks (remember high school?).

Step 4: All jocks beat up math nerds (again, re: high school).

Conclusion: All Math nerds beat up math nerds.

But: I am a math nerd, and have never beaten anyone up (including myself or any another math nerd).

This is a contradiction.

Ergo, Math isn't a sport.

QED

Re:Sure!

[betelgeuse-4]

Okay,

x = 1 - 1/2 - 1/4 + 1/3 - 1/6 - 1/8 + 1/5 - 1/10 - ... (i.e. the sum of an infinite series)

Add some brackets:

x = (1 - 1/2) - 1/4 + (1/3 - 1/6) - 1/8 + (1/5 - 1/10) - ...

Resolve the brackets:

x = (1/2) - 1/4 + (1/6) - 1/8 + (1/10) ...

x = (1/2)[1 - 1/2 + 1/3 - 1/4 + 1/5 - ...]

x = x/2

Multiply by 2:

2x = x

Divide by x:

2 = 1

Subtract 1:

1 = 0

Therefore maths is a sport.

Hopefully I haven't made any mistakes :)

Famous Quotes of Sports Vs Games

[spineboy]

There are only three true sports Fishing, Mountain climbing and Car racing, the rest are merely games.

How about the Javelin?

[Stone316]

I nominate you to play defense.

Re:Ridiculous.

[grammar fascist]

Imagine the RATINGS!

XXX, I'd imagine.

Re:Ridiculous.

[Arcanix]

I should smash your face in with my liquid core bowling ball for such an insolent comment!

Re:Math is a sport, then!

[mothz]

You can't divide by 0.
With an "I can't" attitude like that, you'll never succeed at this sport!

Re:Another NO

[Wescotte]

That's why we need to make math more exciting.. Add some sorta penalty for not getting it right say a nice wedgy by the other team's bully.

Chess..BOXING!

[PunkXRock]

I dunno how many people wind up reading the actual articles (I don't always), but I think it's clear not everyone here did, or there would be a lot more comments on this:

What, for instance, does he mean by "the skill"? All but the most primal sports demand multiple skills, some physical, some not. Maybe one should take 2) to mean "at least one of the skills relevant to the game is physical." In that case, chess boxing, in which competitors engage in pugilism and speed chess in alternate rounds, makes the cut.

Chess...BOXING! That is absolutely the best thing I have heard all day. Check it out at www.wcbo.org [wcbo.org]. Is chessboxing a sport? You decide.