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math

  1. Minoosh

    Another mini-middle-school math conundrum

    A couple of 8th graders I tutor showed me a quiz they had done poorly on. I ran into a problem that bothered me. There wasn't technically anything wrong with it, I think. But I could see why it would trip up students. Instructions were to solve for x. It was, roughly, 5x + 2 = 5x + 2. Use...
  2. Minoosh

    What was the person that wrote this problem thinking?

    I'm a math tutor now working at a middle school. My students have a regular math class; I'm paid to help them fill in gaps in learning. This is under a COVID-related grant. They're reviewing for a final and here is one of the practice problems: "Mr. Jeans raises cows (x) and chickens (y) on...
  3. A

    something to wonder about during the quarantine

    1.Prove that the following phrase is wrong. “If a logical system is consistent, it cannot be complete.” Proof: Choose as a logical system the system consisting of: 1. a coin, 2. a lifeform on earth whose purpose is to flip the coin and try to guess which side the coin ends up facing the...
  4. U

    Can One Grasp Relativity Without Doing the Math?

    The question is in the subject: Do you think relativity can be grasped without doing the math? I ask because it seems like the discussions here so often revolve around semantics and thought experiments on the part of those who, IMHO, don't grasp the concepts. It seems rare to find someone...
  5. N

    Transforming values

    Hello. Not sure if this is a math or computer question. I am scanning a table and I want to write a formula that will return a value of -1, 0 or 1 for each row depending on the value in the row. Using a combination of the following mathematical mysql functions, I would like to return a value...
  6. W

    Pi and Irrational Numbers

    Pi is an irrational number, meaning it never ends. It's infinitely long, therefore it must contain every possible combination of numbers an infinite amount of times. Does this mean pi contains every piece of software (in 0's and 1's) ever written? And if we could reduce genetic code to numbers...
  7. B

    New book by John Allen Paulos - Irreligion

    There is a new book by popular mathematics author John Allen Paulos called Irreligion. He also wrote two great classics in the field of critical inquiry called Innumeracy and Beyond Numeracy. I recently heard about his new book during an interview with DJ Groethe on Point of Inquiry's podcast.
  8. O

    Hyper Dimensional Philosophizing

    I started replying to the thread “Hyper Dimensional Design” because the idea of dimensions beyond what we can normally see is interesting to me. But, I think the thread may be ignored because the original poster was associating it with things like numerology. For those crazy people who simply...
  9. Yiab

    Looking for a Group Theorist (Math)

    I was talking with my supervisor a while ago and I came up with the following example of a group and subgroup meeting some particular criteria (which I've now forgotten). Let $A = \mathbb{Z}^{\omega}$ be the countably infinite direct product of the $1$-generated free abelian group.\\ Let $B =...
  10. Beleth

    Optimizing expectations of the sum of two random numbers

    On another board I read, the following discussion about a particular aspect of an online RPG came up: So, of course, I want to check the math, and I want to find out what the optimal "seed" value is. The shape of the graph is obviously (!) a bell curve with first nonzero value at 20, median at...
  11. JAStewart

    Noah Ark and Math

    Interesting take on Noahs Ark I found, it obviously completely refutes the fairy tale: Link
  12. JamesB

    Troofer Math and Probabilities

    I posted this on SLC, but I figured you more mathematically oriented types here would find it amusing. If anyone wants to calculate the correct probability, I will add it to the post. http://screwloosechange.blogspot.com/2007/02/troofer-math.html I am constantly amused with the truther misuse...
  13. ref

    Infowars truther math. False percentages in sales prices.

    Is this how they count their poll percentages as well? Take a look at these amazing offerings. http://infowars-shop.stores.yahoo.net/ininjobbacap.html "Protect yourself, look sharp (hah), and spread the word about 9/11 Truth with one of these stylish new Infowars Baseball Caps." (One)...
  14. Madalch

    Cross-Multiplication

    Okay, I'm teaching math for elementary school teachers. The text is explaining how to solve for :) in a ratio such as: :)/24 = 8/16. (I'm not using x, because it looks just like a multiplication sign.) According to the text, one must cross-multiply; that is, multiply the left numerator by the...
  15. Horatius

    It turns out28th Kingdom isn't the worst at math

    Or at least, I've found someone on LCF who has the same Mad Math Skillz. http://z10.invisionfree.com/Loose_Change_Forum/index.php?showtopic=2346&view=findpost&p=11030158 And he even goes on to defend his calculation! He does get it right eventually, but them someone else starts to argue...
  16. Stereolab

    Game theory question: iSketch

    I don't know if any of you have played, but there is a fun game at www.isketch.net. It's like Pictionary, etc. where you draw a picture and others have to guess the word or phrase it represents. It's quite fun. My question is regarding optimal strategy. Virtually all the players on the...
  17. Ginarley

    The Math of Input-Output Multipliers

    Any economic mathematicians out there who's brains I can pick? :) I've recently taken over teaching a paper which includes a section on input-output table multipliers - specifically output multipliers, type I & II income multipliers, and employment multipliers. I understand how to do the...
  18. headscratcher4

    Christian Math

    http://www.trnty.edu/faculty/robbert/SRobbertWebFolder/ChristianityMath/ Hmmmm...
  19. Anti-sophist

    Judy Wood's "Math"

    I tried to use the search feature and couldn't find anything... Is there a definitive analysis of her math, anywhere, or just bits and pieces? http://janedoe0911.tripod.com/BilliardBalls.html Appendix A I mean, her opening calculation ...is incredibly bizarre. Essentially she states that...
  20. A

    Secrets of Mental Math - I feel that Michael Shermer was disingenuous

    I bought "Secrets of Mental Math" by Arthur Benjamin and Michael Shermer. I really like the book and enjoy learning how to do the tricks and mental calculations. However, the main reason that I bought it is because when I typed in Shermer's name at the book store computer it came up. I picked...
  21. J

    Did math begin with observations of the natural world?

    Did mathematics begin with the first humans seeing regularities in the natural world? If many natural phenomena, the majority, occurred at random it seems the math we use wouldn't be able to describe it, making it largely useless. For example if you went by spaceship to another galaxy and...
  22. T

    Why is the universe describable with math?

    The title kind of says it all. Why do you think the universe is describable with math? (and please, let's not evoke fantasy multiple universes where math doesn't exist; let's talk about what there is evidence for)
  23. S

    Men dominate higher math

    We recenty read about the study that, using SAT scores, men have a higher median IQ by 4 points. Here is a detail from the study: 660,270 males took the [2004 Math SAT], 758,737 females. On the math test, 21,507 males were above 750, with 9,800 females above 750. Also, my guess...
  24. R

    Open-Ended Math Questions?

    I'm just starting a Bachelor of Education and my teacher for Gr. 1-8 Mathematics told us in the first class that she had a math problem with no answer next week. She shared the anecdote that a student from last year had written her afterwards asking what the "real" answer was, which was...
  25. l0rca

    Math makes you strong! Strength Crushes Enemies!

    http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/MathDrama/reading/Wigner.html I was thinking about posting this in the philosophical forum, but I think I'll get better responses here. They're feeding too many trolls over there.
  26. rikzilla

    The "Simple" Math of the CTers.

    This will make you chuckle: :what:
  27. J

    Teaching kids math

    I am the happy father of a 4 yo little boy who is, I think, exceptionally cute and a G.D. genius, too boot. Well, he's not a genius, but I think he falls on the high side of average. At 4, he is able to read well enough to surprise all of his pre-school teachers and day-care providers. This...
  28. J

    Math Problem: Figuring the Volume of a Sphere

    I've been trying to figure the volume of a sphere that is 4 meters in diameter. I used the equation 4/3 times pi times radius cubed. The radius in this case being two meters. The answer I got is 8.37333333 m^3 I did the same to figure the volume of a sphere 0.1 meters in diameter. The answer I...
  29. R

    Sin, Cos, Tan: A math question

    Okay, so sitting here doing some basic trigonometry, my questioning nature has stopped me from doing what I should be doing once again... How does the calculator find tangens, sinus and cosinus for a given angle? I mean, once it knows one angle it will automatically know the two others, but how...
  30. W

    Bible math

    In the second story of Genesis, we learn that God brings each animal to Adam and he names them all. How long do you think this would take? I forget which day it was, perhaps the 6th. And he rested on the 7th day. Now, God being who He is, would probably be able to bring the animals to Adam...

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