2011-05-18
Explanation
This comic shows three enthusiastic fans at a sporting event, each holding up signs that read "WE'''RE #" followed by a mathematical expression that equals 1. The first fan holds "WE'''RE #0.9-repeating" (0.999... = 1), the second holds "WE'''RE #0 degrees" (which could be interpreted as the zeroth power, i.e., any number to the zero power equals 1, though this is a bit ambiguous), and the third holds "WE'''RE #e^(pii)" -- wait, actually e^(pii) = -1, not 1. The caption below reads: "Mathematicians are no longer allowed to sporting events."
The joke plays on the common sports fan chant "We'''re number one!" by having mathematicians express the number 1 in needlessly complicated mathematical notation. The sign reading 0.9-repeating references the well-known (and often controversial among non-mathematicians) proof that 0.999... is exactly equal to 1. The sign with 0 to the 0th power references a famously debatable mathematical expression, since 0^0 is sometimes defined as 1 but is considered an indeterminate form in other contexts. The third sign showing e^(pi2i) likely represents e^(2pii), which does equal 1 via Euler'''s formula.
The votey bonus panel continues the joke with more cheers: "We are the hero! Our team is on a mission! We'''re 0^0! (depending on definition)" -- further emphasizing the mathematical pedantry by acknowledging that whether 0^0 equals 1 depends on which mathematical convention you follow. The humor throughout lies in mathematicians being so obsessed with expressing things in technically precise (or technically interesting) ways that they become insufferable at normal social events like sports games.