What is worthy of investigation?

Abstract

We describe in dialogue form a possible way of discovering and investigating 10-adic numbers starting from the naive question about a “largest natural number”. Among the topics we pursue are possibilities of extensions to transfinite 10-adic numbers, 10-adic representations of rational numbers, zero divisors, square roots and 10-adic roots of higher degree of natural numbers, and applications of 10-adic number representation in computer arithmetic. The participants of the dialogue are idealized embodiments of different philosophical attitudes towards mathematics. The article aims at illustrating how these attitudes interact, in both jarring and stimulating ways, and how they impact mathematical development. Moreover, the article demonstrates how different attitudes translate into mathematical heuristics. In our opinion this is also relevant for teaching mathematics as it raises consciousness for reflections on how mathematical investigations work.