ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Peano's axioms

Peano's axioms are a set of rules that help us understand how numbers work. Imagine you have a box of toys, and you want to know how many toys you have. The axioms will help you understand how to count and do math with those toys.

Here are Peano's axioms explained in a simple way:

1. Axiom of Zero: Zero is a special number that means you don't have any toys in your box. It is like an empty box.

2. Axiom of Successor: Every toy has a special friend toy called its "successor". If you have one toy, its successor would be the next toy in line. If you have two toys, the successor of the first toy is the second toy.

3. Axiom of Induction: This axiom helps us understand how to count or do math with our toys. Let's say you have an empty box (zero toys). Then you have one toy (zero's successor is one). After that, you will have another toy (one's successor is two). This pattern continues endlessly. You can keep adding one more toy to your box each time.

4. Axiom of Equality: This axiom tells us that if two toys have the same number of friends (successors), then they are the same. For example, if two toys both have two friends, they are the same number.

These axioms give us the basic rules for counting and using numbers. We can start from zero and keep adding one to make more numbers. We can also compare numbers and see if they are equal or not.

With Peano's axioms, we can start exploring more complicated math concepts like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It's like building a big tower of toys using these simple rules. The axioms help us understand how numbers work and make math easier to understand.