Abstract

Is there anything like an experiment in mathematics? And if this is the case, what would distinguish a mathematical experiment from a mathematical thought experiment? In the present paper, a framework for the practice of mathematics will be put forward, which will consider mathematics as an experimenting activity and as a proving activity. The relationship between these two activities will be explored and more importantly a distinction between thought-experiments, real experiments, quasi experiments and proofs in pure mathematics will be provided. To do so, three examples of experimenting with triangles will be introduced and discussed.