👉 Threatening math refers to the use of mathematical concepts, particularly those involving inequalities and limits, to create scenarios that imply dire consequences if certain conditions are not met. This often involves showing that a system or situation cannot reach a desired state without violating fundamental mathematical principles, such as the impossibility of achieving a negative value or the divergence of a sequence to infinity. For example, in optimization problems, one might demonstrate that a minimum or maximum value cannot be attained under given constraints by showing that the function's behavior (e.g., increasing or decreasing) forces it to reach an extreme value, thereby threatening the feasibility of achieving a better outcome. This can be seen in economics, physics, and engineering, where mathematical models predict outcomes that seem impossible or highly undesirable without specific interventions.
