pseudomathematics
Sign in to savethumb|Squaring the circle: the areas of this square and circle are both equal to [[pi|. It was proved in 1882 that this figure cannot be constructed in a finite number of steps with an idealized straightedge and compass. Nevertheless, "proofs" of such constructions were still published even 50 years later.]]
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- Examples
- History
- See also
- References
- Further reading
thumb|Squaring the circle: the areas of this square and circle are both equal to [[pi|. It was proved in 1882 that this figure cannot be constructed in a finite number of steps with an idealized straightedge and compass. Nevertheless, "proofs" of such constructions were still published even 50 years later.]]
Pseudomathematics, or mathematical crankery, is a mathematics-like activity that does not adhere to the framework of rigor of formal mathematical practice. Common areas of pseudomathematics are solutions of problems proved to be unsolvable or recognized as extremely hard by experts, as well as attempts to apply mathematics to non-quantifiable areas. A person engaging in pseudomathematics is called a pseudomathematician or a pseudomath. Pseudomathematics has equivalents in other scientific fields, and may overlap with other topics characterized as pseudoscience.