I don't have a degree, but I am a math major in college. Still, you really just need proficiency in high school math to get those jokes (and, I guess, a proudly nerdish humour).
I can believe it having taught math and physics (HS) some 30 years ago. I was once asked by a student if I would let him leave class because "my brain is on fire and I need to find an extinguisher!"
The difference between "less" and "small" is very difficult (especially to explain to a 4-year-old. I think of them in terms of a number line. The number line is a line that starts at zero and goes to negative infinity on the left and to positive infinity on the right. Something like this:
If you're comparing two numbers, you can say that the one farther to the left on the number line is "less" and the one farther to the right is "greater." "Less" and "greater" are concerned with *position*: where the number lies on the line.
"Small" and "big" on the other hand are concerned not with position, but with *size*. Zero is defined as the smallest number. The closer something is to zero, the smaller it is. Size is a way to talk about "absolute value." The absolute value of a positive number is just that number, and the absolute value of a negative number is just the inverse of it (so the absolute value of -4 is 4).
the result of this limit is infinity. what you do in this exercise is the closest possible to divide 1 by zero (which is impossible), so if you divide 1 by 0.000000000001 you'll get a big number... now let's put hundreds of thousands of zeros before that little 1 and you'll get a HUGE number.. as you know you could put as much zeros you want before that one. so the answer will TEND to infinity, and as this is limits, then the limit becomes infinity.
Hey, UK - it was my grandfather who showed me what a mobius strip was in the first place!
On the infinty problem, I think the 5 should have been the other way up in the answer. ;-)
I'm not an engineer, though I work with 30 of them, but I am a junior high math competition coordinator, and the answers on the competition exams are sometimes this funny.At least the kids try!
just to put a stop to those "1/0 != inf" posts, i'll do a little "explanation" of my own...
i don't wanna step too deep into math, so i'll keep it simple...
6/2 = 3 because 2+2+2 = 6... that means there are three 2s (3 twos) in a 6...
10/5 = 2 because 5+5 = 10, two 5s...
1/0 = inf because 0+0+0+...+0+0 will probably never be 1 (unless you are working in a cyclic group in which you DO have 0 dividers/factors)
maybe i didn't write it right, but you'll pretty much get the picture of "how many 0s does 1 contain"
and it doesn't really matter if the #2 is right or wrong, i think the point is not whether X approaches 8 (or 5) from the left side or the right side... but that's just my oppinion :))
on another note, here's a little something for the future readers:
a = a a*a = a*a a^2 - a^2 = a^2 - a^2 a(a - a) = (a-a)*(a+a) a = a+a //divide by (a-a) a = 2a 1 = 2 ... i think this is a nice little thing to think about, is it ? and it pretty much relates to our ZERO problem *hint hint* :)
shark for ur little funny thing :), at the 5th line you made a division by 0 (a-a) and this is WRONG.
for your inf. matter, just look at the inf. the teach didnt put +/-inf, s/he just put inf. cause s/he didnt precise if the x approach the 8 from the left/right, and from this we say that the limit does not exist, cause from the two sides we get two different values +/-inf. , try to draw the graph and you'll see,
priceless
ReplyDelete[http://www.positronict.com/photoblog/Recommended/]
my boyfriend and I are both engineers. Thanks for the laugh!
ReplyDeleterofl
ReplyDeletePretty funny, but shame on you for posting about students answers.
ReplyDeleteEven though im just a passing high school student, found these funny:)
ReplyDeleteI love it!
ReplyDeleteTotally laughed my ass off :D
I don't have a degree, but I am a math major in college. Still, you really just need proficiency in high school math to get those jokes (and, I guess, a proudly nerdish humour).
roflmao.
ReplyDeleteNo, Really! :)
no, 1(six)=6
ReplyDeleteI can believe it having taught math and physics (HS) some 30 years ago. I was once asked by a student if I would let him leave class because "my brain is on fire and I need to find an extinguisher!"
ReplyDeleteKen Osborn
I don't have a physics degree--but I am a pompous, egotistical, self-important windbag. Thanks for reminding me of my intellectual superiority.
ReplyDeleteNice one... :)
ReplyDeleteIts been a long time since Math classes but shouldn't the answer to question 2 be negative infinity?
ReplyDeletethe number line is a circle of radius infinity,0 n infinity r ends of d diameter.so basically,-infinity =infinity
ReplyDeleteThe difference between "less" and "small" is very difficult
ReplyDelete(especially to explain to a 4-year-old. I think of them in terms of a
number line. The number line is a line that starts at zero and goes to
negative infinity on the left and to positive infinity on the right.
Something like this:
(to neg inf)<--------------------|-------------------->(to pos inf)
...-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...
If you're comparing two numbers, you can say that the one farther to
the left on the number line is "less" and the one farther to the right
is "greater." "Less" and "greater" are concerned with *position*:
where the number lies on the line.
"Small" and "big" on the other hand are concerned not with position,
but with *size*. Zero is defined as the smallest number. The closer
something is to zero, the smaller it is. Size is a way to talk about
"absolute value." The absolute value of a positive number is just
that number, and the absolute value of a negative number is just the
inverse of it (so the absolute value of -4 is 4).
vageli ..
ReplyDeletethe result of this limit is infinity.
what you do in this exercise is the closest possible to divide 1 by zero (which is impossible), so if you divide 1 by 0.000000000001 you'll get a big number... now let's put hundreds of thousands of zeros before that little 1 and you'll get a HUGE number.. as you know you could put as much zeros you want before that one. so the answer will TEND to infinity, and as this is limits, then the limit becomes infinity.
i used to do this kind of stuff on math tests.
ReplyDeleteWhat a dissaster!
ReplyDeleteI were laughing for 5 minutes
The best: "find the X" XDDD
ha ha
ReplyDeleteGood one
ha ha
ReplyDeleteGood one
hilarious, thanks
ReplyDeleteYou know, it doesn't really matter if the limit in #2 is right or not. The point is the response answer and a good laugh!
ReplyDeleteLet it be and stop over-analyzing.
Thanks for that!
too, too funny! The comments are almost as funny as the original post :)
ReplyDeleteHey, UK - it was my grandfather who showed me what a mobius strip was in the first place!
ReplyDeleteOn the infinty problem, I think the 5 should have been the other way up in the answer. ;-)
I'm not an engineer, though I work with 30 of them, but I am a junior high math competition coordinator, and the answers on the competition exams are sometimes this funny.At least the kids try!
ha, very niiiicce, twas quite funny, i must say
ReplyDeleteI'm not an engineer - i have a degree in psychology and I still understood - #3 and #5 were hilarious!!
ReplyDeleteThat was good. Since I have been working with middle schoolers in math, I can totally see where these were going...
ReplyDeleteI'm no engineer, I wasn't even good at Math, but I got this as well. Very Funny.
ReplyDeletewhere did you get MY math tests?
ReplyDeleteAlan
Ya plakal'...
ReplyDeleteAfftar, peshi escho!
Santa Clause - I'm afraid that it DOES mean you have to vote Republican. I'm so sorry to be the one to tell you. Cute comment.
ReplyDeletelmao, made my day!
ReplyDeletenice one;)
You don't need to be an engineer o a physicist to understand these jokes!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot dude a have a great time with this!
Engineer. Female. Got it. Sent to my nuclear engineering son. He even got it.
ReplyDeletethese are just priceless... great work really :)
ReplyDeletejust to put a stop to those "1/0 != inf" posts, i'll do a little "explanation" of my own...
i don't wanna step too deep into math, so i'll keep it simple...
6/2 = 3 because 2+2+2 = 6... that means there are three 2s (3 twos) in a 6...
10/5 = 2 because 5+5 = 10, two 5s...
1/0 = inf because 0+0+0+...+0+0 will probably never be 1 (unless you are working in a cyclic group in which you DO have 0 dividers/factors)
maybe i didn't write it right, but you'll pretty much get the picture of "how many 0s does 1 contain"
and it doesn't really matter if the #2 is right or wrong, i think the point is not whether X approaches 8 (or 5) from the left side or the right side... but that's just my oppinion :))
on another note, here's a little something for the future readers:
a = a
a*a = a*a
a^2 - a^2 = a^2 - a^2
a(a - a) = (a-a)*(a+a)
a = a+a //divide by (a-a)
a = 2a
1 = 2
... i think this is a nice little thing to think about, is it ? and it pretty much relates to our ZERO problem *hint hint* :)
I wonder if lawyers would get this, I know engineers got it :p
ReplyDeleteYeah! Truly priceless...
ReplyDeleteshark for ur little funny thing :), at the 5th line you made a division by 0 (a-a) and this is WRONG.
ReplyDeletefor your inf. matter, just look at the inf. the teach didnt put +/-inf, s/he just put inf. cause s/he didnt precise if the x approach the 8 from the left/right, and from this we say that the limit does not exist, cause from the two sides we get two different values +/-inf. , try to draw the graph and you'll see,
ps:no need to be graduated to get that :)
Damn guys. I'm a law student. I totally didn't get it. I wish I had gotten into Engineering to have this laugh.
ReplyDeleteHaha lets prance around like were smarter than the rest
ReplyDeleteKeep posting such good and meaningful articles. Good Job.
ReplyDelete