Matt Parker talks Numberphile through the different kinds of numbers: algebraic, transcendental, computable, normal, and beyond. It shows how few numbers we can actually name or describe.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN recommends it as an accessible explanation of number categories and why almost all numbers are unknowable.
“here's a video that explains from the basics what kinds of numbers exist”HN comment, 2019
“Numberphile has an excellent video on the numbers we know about”
Covers known numbers and the quest to define normal numbers
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It's fascinating how little we know about everyday numbers like pi and e, it's widely assumed that they are normal but there is no proof for this (and it's extremely difficult to do so). In fact we believe the fast majority of numbers are transcendental and normal but we only actually know of a single normal number, and it is a manufactured number. Numberphile has an excellent video on the numbers we know about and the quest to find / define normal numbers: this video
RecommendsStrangeDoctorMar 2019
“numberphile (math YouTube series) describing some related concepts here.”
Explains related concepts about most numbers being unknown
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That's actually most numbers, but we don't know any yet. this video numberphile (math YouTube series) describing some related concepts here.
RecommendsmjleeMar 2019
“here's a video that explains from the basics what kinds of numbers exist”
Explains from basics what kinds of numbers exist
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It feels like every time there's a mathematics post on the front page I post a video by Matt Parker. This time, here's a video that explains from the basics what kinds of numbers exist: this video
RecommendsKboPAacDA3Jan 2020
“Numberphile has a video explaining the relationship between the number categories”
Explains relationships between number categories including Chaitin's Constant
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Numberphile has a video explaining the relationship between the number categories, and includes a brief discussion of where Chaitin's Constant belongs. this video
RecommendsdeepspaceAug 2020
“I found Matt Parker's video to be a good way to visualize the fact”
Visualizes that we know essentially 0% of numbers
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I found Matt Parker's video to be a good way to visualize the fact that we 'know' essentailly 0% of numbers: this video
RecommendsgcanyonFeb 2025
“This video parallels the article, going further.”
Parallels the article and goes further on unknown numbers
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This video parallels the article, going further. I love the tag line, "We know none of the numbers." this video
RecommendsgcanyonOct 2025
“You might appreciate this video where Matt Parker lays out the various classes of numbers”
Lays out classes of numbers; normal numbers vastly dominate
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You might appreciate this video where Matt Parker lays out the various classes of numbers and concludes by describing the normal numbers as being the overwhelmingly vast proportion of numbers and laments "we mathematicians think we know what's what, but so far we have found none of the numbers." this video
Cites itjerfAug 2019
“there are categories of numbers like "normal" that nominally contain "all the numbers" but we can barely even name a handful.”
Shows we can name barely any of the numbers
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It's worse than you make it sound, though: this video In short, it isn't just that we have more computables than non-computables; there are categories of numbers like "normal" that nominally contain "all the numbers" but we can barely even name a handful.
Cites itBeldinJan 2023
“See also this Numberphile video on numbers”
Covers algebraic, computable, transcendental numbers and beyond
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See also this Numberphile video on numbers, including algebraic, computable, transcendental, and talking about numbers beyond those. this video
Cites itArnavionSep 2024
“Relevant Numberphile video”
Relevant to normal numbers and proving pi normal
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Such numbers are called "normal numbers". Pi likely is one based on all the digits we've computed for it, but we don't have any way to prove a given number like pi is normal or not. Relevant Numberphile video: this video
Cites itglobular-toastFeb 2025
“The video does go further than the article.”
Goes further than the article
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I wonder if this was the inspiration for this numberphile video? this video The video does go further than the article.
Cites itccvannormanFeb 2025
“Most are incomputable, of course”
Notes most numbers are incomputable
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corollary: Numberphile (with Matt Parker of Stand Up Maths) - "All the Numbers". Most are incomputable, of course :) [0] this video
