f(x)=1/x

It's a reciprocal function

 

I think it has a lot of applications in calculus. Math was really never my strong suit, somebody else could probably tell you more.

 

It is a hyperbola. I don't know if that has anything to do with why he would tattoo it on himself, though.

 

Makes sense to me. Sam_Spade already said its a reciprocal function.

 

If I were to get that tattoo, it would be for two reasons:

1) If you look at the graph of the function, as x goes towards zero, y goes up towards infinite.

2) As x gets bigger, y goes towards 0, but never gets there, just keeps getting closer and closer.

It represents to me that nobody can achieve perfection (infinite or zero, the function never gets to a definite number), and that nothing can be quantified perfectly. I'm really stoned so I can't really convey the significance it has to me haha. Just throwing one possible explanation out there.

 

http://id.mind.net/~zona/mmts/functionInstitute/rationalFunctions/oneOverX/oneOverX.html

 

I'm sure he's just a fan of math. Perhaps he's become "enlightened" in regards to math?

 

just like dvdplaya said....the first derivative of the function f(x)=1/x is f'(x)=lnx
just like if the function is f(x)=5/x...f'(x)=5lnx

 

haha but why would he be like "sweeeeeet i'm totally getting a tatt of the first derivative of the natural log of x!"

lol i think the answer about how
LIM (x -> infinity) f(x) -> 0
and
LIM (y -> infinity) f(y) -> 0
was the most insightful.

i dunno tho

 

holy shit your signature depresses me the fuck out!

 

damn, as a calvin and hobbes fan, yeah, it depresses me too.

way to kill my high! ha ha, i kid.

oh, to the original poster; is this your friend?

http://www.knuckletattoos.com/singularity/

 

It is not a hyperbola - that is

x^2/a^2 - y^2/b^2 = 1