ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Epsilon calculus

Epsilon calculus is like a game where we use symbols and rules to create math equations.

We start with a symbol called epsilon, which looks like this: ε. This symbol represents something that we don't know yet. It's like a mystery number.

We can use epsilon in equations to say, "there exists a number that makes this equation true."

For example, let's say we have the equation x + 2 = 5. We can use epsilon to say, "there exists a number ε that makes x + 2 = 5 true."

Then we use rules to figure out what that mystery number is. We can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve equations with epsilon.

In epsilon calculus, we also have something called quantifiers. They’re symbols like "for all" (∀) and "there exists" (∃). Quantifiers help us make general statements about groups of numbers.

For example, let's say we want to say that "for all positive numbers x, x is greater than 0." We can write that as ∀x > 0.

Overall, epsilon calculus helps us manipulate equations with unknown values using symbols and rules.