Something for all you math majors

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2003 2:07 pm

a = b
a^2 = ab
a^2-b^2 = ab-b^2
(a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b)
(a+b) = b
a+a = a
2a = a
2 = 1

Chris Brown · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2003 2:21 pm

meigh brane hirts

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

scottjohnson wrote:

a^2-b^2 = ab-b^2

This step says "0=0" and is functionally equivalent to trying to say 0/0 = 1.

If I were a calculator I would say "!!DIVIDE BY ZERO!!", which we all know ain't too good.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2003 4:23 pm

(a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b)
(a+b) = b

To go with what mike says, you can't get to the (a+b) = b since that would require a divide by 0.

I got another one:

Does .999 repeating = 1?

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

I hate you guys. I haven't taken a math class since 1980 and now you're making me think about this stuff.

First, a comment for Scott: typing "^2" instead of "**2" threw me off for the longest time. What kind of "I learned math on a Mackintosh" garbage is that?

Now on to the math biz: the lie is in between these two steps, isn't it?

(a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b)
(a+b) = b

I like to do things the hard way, so I got:

(a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b)
aa-ab+ba-bb = ba-bb
a-b+b-bb/a = b-bb/a
a = b

If I made mistake in my algebra, forgive me. I'm just a poor old Mustang driver.

Art

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2003 10:57 pm

Pat, Id like to buy a vowel.....

Ryan Holton
Live from Richmond

Chris Brown · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2003 2:40 pm

Jason Mauldin wrote:

Does .999 repeating = 1?

yes

bla, bla, limit, bla, bla, infinite series, bla, bla

Patrick Wellenius · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2003 7:47 pm

More specifically, the sum of an infinite geometric series with R = 0.1, and a(0) = 0.9.

AndersGreen · **Posted:** Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:04 am

Yes, it's easy to prove interesting results like "2=1" when you _also_ start adding new math rules like "dividing by zero is ok".

Oh course, if we're going to be introducing new rules, it would cut out a lot of the algebra if we just started with "2=1".

*grin*

Here's a new math rule I'd like to propose for the rally cross series: 3 liters is less than 2.4 liters.

Anders

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