∫e^x = f(u_n)

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The first time I saw this joke was when I arrived at Caltech. Some silly bastard was writing it on everyone's white boards.

I'm actually such a geek that somebody had to explain this joke to me-- I kept wondering how the indefinite integral of e^x was humorous.

If you don't get it, try not to think about it too hard. It's really not that sophisticated of a joke.

Appearing under My favorite math joke is another joke which claims the title of shortest math joke:

Let |epsilon| < 0.

While yours has less characters, this one seems to be simpler, more elegant, somehow; I think, therefore, that it is more deserving of the title.

Note 1: When I first wrote this, I didn't even spot the similar one at the top of the node; I would like to point out, though, that without the absolute value, the joke doesn't really work.

Note 2: People have been asking me for an explanation of the joke. Here goes. The basis of it is that fact that |epsilon| > 0 frequently appears in delta-epsilon proofs, and in other math too I would guess. The pun in |epsilon| < 0 is that, though it looks almost like |epsilon| > 0, which is legitimate, an absolute value cannot be less than 0. That is, |x| means the absolute value of x, which means remove the sign from x, make it positive. Thus while |epsilon| < 0 at first glance (and second glance) looks perfectly normal, after a moment, math nerds notice that it is completely impossible and nonsensical, which to me is the irony which makes it funny. There, I've dissected it, you happy now? :-D

A longer version of somok's joke that my highschool's senior class printed on the backs of our t-shirts for homecoming is this:

 Σ ∫e^x= f(u_n) ∴ y_o
u→x^c

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which reads:

As u approaches x to the c power, the indefinite integral of e to the x is equal to the function u sub n, therefore: y sub zero (or y naught)

OR:

As you approach ecstacy, sex is fun, therefore, why not?

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There were a lot of geeks in my senior class, yes, and no, we didn't get in trouble for the shirts. The only teacher who worked out what it said was a horny old bastard who thought the shirts were fantastic.

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I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT EASILY VIEWABLE ON SOME INTERNET BROWSERS. I WILL FIX IT AS SOON AS I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW.

THANKS TO rootbeer277 FOR THE FORMATTING ASSISTANCE.