How to Mathematically Predict Potential YouTube Views

Recently, I was looking at my YouTube analytics and I noticed a pattern in my statistics. I figured that I can accurately predict potential views in the future by finding a function that closely correlates to my statistics.

1. I suggest that you go to your analytics and look at your accumulative views (as shown in the videos). Grab a pen and some paper and write down the values. Your x values will be the number of days, and your y values will be the number of views you have acquired on that day. Copy down these values onto the paper.

2. Grab your graphing calculator. I'm using a TI-83 Plus. Press STAT. Press Edit... Plug in your x values in the L1 table, and plug views in the L2 table.

3. To make sure your data shows up on your calculator, press "y=" and make sure that Plot1 is highlighted. To high Plot1, hover the cursor above Plot1 and press enter. Then press GRAPH and dots should appear. You may need to adjust your window.

4. Now to find an appropriate function for your data, press STAT. Move over to CALC. Now there should be a list of functions--quadratic, exponential, sinusoidal, etc.--and choose one that would most likely fit with your data points. If you don't know how these functions look like, then you might have to go through each one and see what function works. Once you found a function press the function. I used ExpReg for my data. Press enter again, and it should give you values for that specific funtion.

5. Now take that data and plug it into the "y=". Press GRAPH. The graph should correlate closely to your data.

6. To look at your projections, press 2nd and GRAPH. An x and y graph should appear. Now you can look at all your projections in the future. The units are in days. For my channel, the function predicts that in 30 days I should have close to 7,000 views!

*****PLEASE READ*****

Although these stats look promising, it DOES NOT guarantee that you will obtain the predicted views. However, if you continue what you have been doing on YouTube, it is more likely that these predictions can become true. THESE ARE NOT CERTAIN PREDICTIONS!!!

Infinite Sums are Weird

What if I told you that 1-1+1-1+1-1+... = 1/2, and I proved it?

So lets take an infinite series, S.

S = 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+...

Now lets factor out a negative one from the second term to infinity...

S = 1-(1-1+1-1+1-1+...)

The grouped values are identical to the original series, S. 

S = 1-S

Now with some help from algebra, we can solve for S.

S = 1-S

2S = 1

S = 1/2

Therefore,

1-1+1-1+1-1+... = 1/2

Who knew? Well actually this is categorized as mathematical hocus pocus because this breaks math. In order to use the basic properties of arithmetic (i.e. associative property, commutative property, etc.) the series has to converge. For a series to converge the sum of the infinite series has to add up to a finite number. In this case, we are unsure what the series converges to because it can add up to 0, 1, or 1/2--which is it? If you want to see a visual proof on YouTube check out this video.

Euler, a mathematical gangster, disobeyed the rules of mathematics and found even more surprising values for infinite sums. He concluded that 1+2+3+4+5+... = -1/12. Although this sounds nonsensical, this does apply to quantum physics. Physicists go by the rule that says nothing in the universe has an infinite measure, and these insane values surprisingly appear in their experiments. Although I don't know the details or the direct application to the field, I find it amazing that there is physical proof of nonsense existing. 

Physics generally follows this order: develop an equation and experiment with it (or vice verse). Excitingly, physicists found that math is wrong--in the quantum world--and experiments are correct. Usually, math is correct and the experiments are wrong. This is mind boggling because which one should we believe? 

In our lives, we know what's nonsense and what's correct. However, our field of view is limited from our frame of reference. A human experiences the universe on a human level. If we break out of this perspective and look from a planet's perspective our view changes dramatically. We'll see--as a planet--empty space and feel like we're floating amid nothingness. We'll see our counterparts: stars, asteroids, galaxies, planets, etc. Or instead of a planet's perspective, we look through a quantum perspective. We'll see particles whizzing by, we'll feel the electrical force, and we'll possibly see other dimensions (as theorized from String Theory). What if we take this a step further? What if there is a world smaller than the quantum world or a realm larger than the universe? Is this where all the mathematical hocus pocus is spawned? 

I'm an advocate for being open-minded. I like to accumulate many theories, ideas, and suggestions and determine which is correct and wrong (based on my opinion). This is not only limited to math and science, but also to real life situations. Teachers may provide life lessons in their classrooms and so do parents in their homes. People completely ignore the teacher and follow their parents advice because it's ethically correct--some may think. I believe that one should not completely ignore suggestions due to bias or alleged nonsense; instead one should take in both and generate a more appropriate conclusion. The same goes for math and science. Who knows? Maybe there are parallel universes, time travelers, different dimensions, green aliens, flying pigs, etc.