Woman denied Timmies prize for flunking math question
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hurley_108 @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:27 am
The formula =6*8-5+9 in Excel says 52. The answer is 52 because subtraction is just addition of a negative number. Following BEDMAS so strictly as to add 5 and 9 and then subtract that from 48 is not correct, as it changes the sign on the 9.
To clear up all confusion, though, Tims should have put it 6*8+9-5. And they should have just given her the freaking prize.
RPW @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:33 am
hurley_108 hurley_108:
And they should have just given her the freaking prize.
Either that, or revoke all the prizes given out......
hurley_108 @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:35 am
lily lily:
If they legitimately can't do math, then they could ask someone else to claim the prize for them. Or use a calculator - I don't think there's anything in the rules against that.
Which is why I said earlier that her only mistake was being too honest to do that.
$1:
Besides which... life isn't always fair. Just because some people "legitimately" can't do math doesn't mean we have to dumb things down for them.
You want a REAL skill-testing math question? Here:
Find the inflection point of the following function: y=x^3-2x+1
Anybody who's taken high-school calculus should be able to figure it out.
hurley_108 @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:38 am
RPW RPW:
hurley_108 hurley_108:
And they should have just given her the freaking prize.
Either that, or revoke all the prizes given out......No, their question and answer is valid.
I propose, though, that they could also solve the problem that started this whole discussion by offering a grammar problem too. Like:
Identify the verb in the following sentence: Jack threw the ball.
RUEZ @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:40 am
hurley_108 hurley_108:
Identify the verb in the following sentence: Jack threw the ball.
Well that's easy, it's Jack. Well it is if you're at Tritiums house.
hurley_108 @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:42 am
RUEZ RUEZ:
hurley_108 hurley_108:
Identify the verb in the following sentence: Jack threw the ball.
Well that's easy, it's Jack. Well it is if you're at Tritiums house.
hurley_108 @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:46 am
lily lily:
I took calculus at UBC and I had no idea what the hell I was doing. Not sure how I managed a pass.
Differentiate twice, solve for x with y=0, plug that back in and solve for y.
RPW @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:49 am
hurley_108 hurley_108:
You want a REAL skill-testing math question? Here:
Find the inflection point of the following function: y=x^3-2x+1
Anybody who's taken high-school calculus should be able to figure it out.
But with calculators, we don't have to thnk anymore, do we? Except they seem to be be programmed wrong, according to the standard progression. Does that mean our whole society is built on an error?
ShepherdsDog @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:03 am
I remember doing trig in grade 11 without a calculator.....because the batteries died.
hurley_108 @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:15 am
RPW RPW:
hurley_108 hurley_108:
You want a REAL skill-testing math question? Here:
Find the inflection point of the following function: y=x^3-2x+1
Anybody who's taken high-school calculus should be able to figure it out.
But with calculators, we don't have to thnk anymore, do we? Except they seem to be be programmed wrong, according to the standard progression. Does that mean our whole society is built on an error?
No, the calculators are right. It's your understanding of order of operations that's wrong.
RPW @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:31 am
hurley_108 hurley_108:
No, the calculators are right. It's your understanding of order of operations that's wrong.
Ah....so the order isn't division, multiplication, addition, subtraction? Then I apologize, for both myself and a whole generation of teachers. (I had no idea the last forty years was a bad dream)
Tricks @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:33 am
RPW RPW:
When I went to school a million years ago, I was told the correct order for math of this sort was mutiplication first, division second, addition third, and subtraction fourth.
So, 6x8-5+9 would = 48 - 14 = 34. Or maybe Timmies uses "new math".....
So, 6x8-5+9 would = 48 - 14 = 34. Or maybe Timmies uses "new math".....
Please tell me this is a joke. it's -5 + 9 not 5 + 9 making it +4.
Ergo, 48+4 = 52.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
Tricks @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:36 am
hurley_108 hurley_108:
You want a REAL skill-testing math question? Here:
Find the inflection point of the following function: y=x^3-2x+1
Anybody who's taken high-school calculus should be able to figure it out.
Find the inflection point of the following function: y=x^3-2x+1
Anybody who's taken high-school calculus should be able to figure it out.
First derivative is 3x^2 - 2.
Second is 6x
Set 6x as zero
x = 0
Inflection point is zero.
RPW @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:50 am
Tricks Tricks:
Please tell me this is a joke. it's -5 + 9 not 5 + 9 making it +4.
Ergo, 48+4 = 52.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
Ergo, 48+4 = 52.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
IF it is -5+9 which equals 4, and if it is 6x8 = 48, what then is the relationship between these two numbers? Where in hell did you get that "+" you conveniently inserted between them?
Tricks @ Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:51 am
RPW RPW:
Tricks Tricks:
Please tell me this is a joke. it's -5 + 9 not 5 + 9 making it +4.
Ergo, 48+4 = 52.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
Ergo, 48+4 = 52.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
IF it is -5+9 which equals 4, and if it is 6x8 = 48, what then is the relationship between these two numbers? Where in hell did you get that "+" you conveniently inserted between them?
Are you actually kidding me? You can't be serious.
-5 +9 = a positive number so it would be addition not subtraction.
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