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Fifthman · 12-07-2009, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Harry Potter Wikia

Arithmancy is a Hogwarts subject taught by Professor Vector. It comes from the Greek arithmo, meaning "number" and mancy, meaning "prophecy." This subject is taught in Classroom 7A, on the Castle's seventh floor. It is Hermione Granger's favourite subject and involves complicated number charts, but nothing else is known about the subject.

It is apparently a more accurate (or at least more accepted) way of predicting the future, similar to an obscure but existing hobby of numerology - the belief that number patterns existing in real life can be calculated to give information regarding the future. This would make it a more sensible version of Divination, at least to Hermione's taste, in that it does the same thing through more appropriate or exacting means. The accuracy of this information is unknown, however.

"Number patterns... can be calculated to give information regarding the future." Hey, that kinda sounds like using initial conditions to determine the behavior of a physical system! Newton's Second Law, anyone? (After all, he was an avid alchemist, among other things...)

The mention of number charts also reminds me of matrices and linear algebra.

Thus, I am led to believe that Arithmancy is just a math class for the Wizarding World. I can already imagine the spells in use there:

Wild mass guessing begins here. None of these spells are canon.

Iterare - Iteration spell. Since a witch can't use a computer, she'd have to have a spell to perform iterative loops.

Exhibeo - A spell which plots data points in air as a graph using an advanced form of the Flagrate spell.

Any thoughts?

*sarahb* · 12-11-2009, 08:52 PM

Arithmancy is the study of numbers. It is sort of like divination because you use numbers to predict the future.

Fifthman · 12-12-2009, 02:32 AM

That's a general definition. Rowling never really described an Arithmancy class, though.

In our Muggle world, there's already lots of mathematical models that allow us to predict the future anyway. Using math, we can forecast the weather, model the spread of a disease, predict how populations of predator and prey interact, etc.

Math won't change between the Muggle world and the Wizarding world, but what will change is how mathematical models are evaluated. An engineer/scientist/applied mathematician in the Muggle world would use a computer, but the Arithmancer would probably use a spell.

oribiablue · 01-04-2010, 06:11 AM

I think, if I have it right, that Arithmancy is the study of numbers to predict the future or explain the past. Sort of like astrology, but using mathematical terms and equations.

Furienna · 01-04-2010, 10:14 AM

I too believe, that Arithmancy is "Wizard's Maths", which is why it's a shame, that it's not a mandatory class, but only an elective class from the 3rd year and forwards. Because face it, many of us don't like Maths, but it's still an important subject. (Hogwarts students would of course be able to drop it after their 5th year though.)