Why America Is Falling Behind In Math

Actual answer to an actual test. Thank goodness it was only a 21 year old college junior.



And people think I am wrong for not going with the more popularly held views!

Everyone knows X is on the right side.

ORIGINAL: Roflcopter

My ruler says 4.99 something.

Did I win something?

A trip to Amsterdam?


Regards,
Alex

x=5

Didn't a Greek on vacation in Egypt figure this out already?

since when is the square root of 25.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 not equal to 5.0?


:-)

ORIGINAL: Roflcopter

A trip to Amsterdam?

Ah, great! I've always wanted to see those fjords. Denmark's a loverly country.*
















[*American geography being my 'other' hobby]

Now I'm lost!


Regards,
Alex

ORIGINAL: Roflcopter

Now I'm lost!

Amsterdam, it's the capitol of Denmark.

Is it not than


Regards,
Alex

so what am I missing?

3² + 4² = 5²

are you guys using that fancy trigonometry and just afraid to round out?

3² + 4² = 5²

You're supposed to postpone the punchline until page 5/6, Mike. Cliffhangers, and all that.

I don't know, but I like pi.

I don't know, but I like pi.

Isn't American pi exactly 3 in some states, by law?

but I like pi.

Lemon Merringue(sp?) is my favorite. In fact I have a piece of pie waiting for me at home.

ORIGINAL: space_cowboy
Actual answer to an actual test. Thank goodness it was only a 21 year old college junior.

And people think I am wrong for not going with the more popularly held views!
Everyone knows X is on the right side.

I don't know... I mean, it isn't incorrect, is it? - just out of context.
But then again, if that's the ACTUAL question, it's not particularly clear. They did, after all "Find X," didn't they.
I think he/she should get extra credit for thinking outside the box, and here in the computer industry, where you haven't had to actually know math OR know how to program computers for years now, thinking outside the box is a highly sought-after trait...

- zevo



(you know, though... that gives me an idea for a post signature, and I haven't had a post signature in years)

ORIGINAL: Guitarhacker

American Pie... that's a song by Don McLean... right?

Kevin Spacey won an Oscar for baking the perfect American pie. It was beautiful.

Did you know that Americans do not speak with accents?

...that Washington, D.C. is the capital of the state of D.C.?

...that there is a bone in the male penis that is responsible for erections?

...that the President of the United States lives in the U.S. Capitol building?

...that the mathematics of series can be used to prove that it's impossible to cover any distance completely? You can get 99.9999999999...% of the way there, but you'll never get all the way.

...if you are traveling out in space at the speed of light, and you suddenly accelerate to several times the speed of light, you can look over your shoulder and see yourself coming towards you?

ORIGINAL: Roflcopter

and here in the computer industry, where you haven't had to actually know math OR know how to program computers for years now

Only there?
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2494129.0.0.php

Hehehe. Trident missiles.
Favorite line from that article:
"The US and the UK are trying to refurbish the ageing W76 warheads that tip Trident missiles in order to prolong their life, and ensure they are safe and reliable."

Umm... it's a nuclear missile. Not sure any of those fall under the category of "safe."
Hehehe.

And no, I definitely don't want to debate whether they're necessary. I'm just finding the wording... amusing.

- zevo

Well, we had a sturgeon general who wanted safer bullets. Why not safer nukes? After all, a misfire might kill one person, but if your nuke cooks off early its a bad day in the neighborhood, mr. Rodgers. Not to mention if the Trident bone in your penis goes off accidently during an erection it can be damn embarrasing. Not that it ever happened to me, but I've got a friend ...