r/whoathatsinteresting • u/eternviking • 16h ago

Euler showed that the only integer solution to aᵇ = bᵃ is 4² = 2⁴ = 16.

Post image
18 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

3

u/FindingZen4 14h ago

You mean the only pair of "distinct, positive" integers. Without specifying that, then a could be equal to b and both be equal to 1. Or a could be -4 and b equal to -2.

1

u/grumpsaboy 10h ago

Euler, the man so nerdy most things he discovered are named after the second person to discover them for ease of naming. The man responsible for a quarter the entire 18th century's maths, Physics, Astronomy, Mechanics output, despite not even living the full century..

Yes, of course he proved this.

1

u/AaronicNation 9h ago

Don't blame Euler for showing this, you're the one that posted it.