Kevin's Watch

Malik23 wrote:So "reverse engineering," as you put it, may happen sometimes or even most of the time. But this still doesn't explain why the world can be reverse engineered in the first place. Why do physical structures so easily and prolifically conform to non-physical, immaterial patterns of pure abstraction? What is the link between these two seemingly disparate realms?

It's as if the math already, always existed as a realm to discover, rather than something we invent after the fact to fit our observations. So "reverse engineering," as you put it, may happen sometimes or even most of the time. But this still doesn't explain why the world can be reverse engineered in the first place. Why do physical structures so easily and prolifically conform to non-physical, immaterial patterns of pure abstraction? What is the link between these two seemingly disparate realms?

Murrin wrote:

Cool what other maths can we talk about now

How about √(-1) ? Utter nonsense, of course, but occasionally makes working out a problem a little easier.

Fifty Years of Math 1957 - 2007 (in the USA)

Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this?

Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:

1. Teaching Math In 1950s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ?


2. Teaching Math In 1960s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?


3. Teaching Math In 1970s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?


4. Teaching Math In 1980s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.


5. Teaching Math In 1990s

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok. )


6. Teaching Math In 2007

Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?

aTOMiC wrote:dAN really isn't kidding. (Well not much anyway.) I have nightmares that revolve around the words "borange, storange, gorange, forange, dorange, porange, corange, zorange, yourange, worange, xorange, torange, sorange, chorange, shorange, plorange, phorange, blorange, chlorange, horange, jorange, korange, lorange, morange, norange, quorange, roarange, vorange, floorange" and so on. Screaming I think I was. Screaming. Oh will it ever end?

Vraith wrote:I think this will be of interest to at least Hashi---maybe others.
The first is an article/interview about the guy, the second is the thing he created.
At that place, you might want to click on the music link to find some math in sound [and you can alter various things about how it plays...tempo, instruments and such]