Divergent Thinking: Working with Divergent Series

If we gave you a bunch of positive whole numbers and asked what you get when you add them all up, you'd have a pretty easy time of it... you are The Math Club, after all. But what if we gave you an infinite series of positive whole numbers and asked you what you get when you add them all up? In this episode, Pete and Noah talk about how mathematicians go about assigning a value in this seemingly impossible situation. Join us and learn about divergent series, and be ready to be surprised by some of the results.

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Questions Answered in the Episode: • What is the difference between a convergent series and a divergent series? • How can the sum of all positive integers be negative one-twelfth?