ÿþ<html> <head> <title>All numbers are created equal</title> </head> <body> <center> <table border=1 width="800"> <tr><td> <blockquote> <p>&nbsp;</p> <center> <p><img src="/10by10.gif" width="750" height="2"></p> <h3>Proof that</h3> <h2>All numbers are created equal</h2> <p><img src="/10by10.gif" width="750" height="2"></p> <p>Let <i>x</i> = 1</p> <p>Now multiply both sides by <i>x</i>;</p> <p><i>x</i><sup>2</sup> = <i>x</i></p> <p>Substract 1 from both sides;</p> <p><i>x</i><sup>2</sup> &ndash; 1 = <i>x</i> &ndash; 1</p> <p>Use the identity <i>x</i><sup>2</sup> &ndash; 1 = (<i>x</i> + 1)(<i>x</i> &ndash; 1);</p> <p>(<i>x</i> + 1)(<i>x</i> &ndash; 1) = (<i>x</i> &ndash; 1)</p> <p>Cancel the factors (<i>x</i> &ndash; 1);</p> <p>(<i>x</i> + 1) = 1</p> <p>But <i>x</i> was equal to 1; so</p> <p>2 = 1</p> <p>q. e. d.</p> <p><img src="/10by10.gif" width="750" height="2"></p> <h2>Objections</h2> <h3>from the readers</h3> <p><img src="/10by10.gif" width="750" height="2"></p> </center> <p><b>John Th. Ioannides</b> (Dipl. Civil/Geotech. Engineer, GeoLogismiki, Greece) correctly solved the puzzle.</p> <p><b>Adis Skejic</b> (a Geotechnical Engineer from Bosnia & Herzegovina) also solved it correctly.</p> <p><i>We are not telling you the answer yet, because others may also want to take a crack at it.</i></p> <p><img src="/10by10.gif" width="750" height="2"></p> </blockquote> </td></tr> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> </body> </html>