Author Topic: FLASH: Math is cold, calculating (Read 3996 times)

Perd Hapley · « **on:** August 25, 2005, 09:55:10 PM »

I heard this recently on the top-of-the-hour newsbite on the radio.

According to some pointless survey, a large percentage of Americans don't like math. One woman interviewed said, "Math is cold and calculating. There are no shades of grey, everything is black and white."

That evil, conniving math!

thorn · « **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2005, 10:18:55 PM »

if the rest of it wasn't funny enough, this alone has me rolling -
"According to some pointless survey"

besides- math CAN't be Cold! it can only have less heat!

Winston Smith · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2005, 10:28:44 PM »

And science doesn't suck! It's only pressure differentials!

Bemidjiblade · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2005, 03:23:51 AM »

I just don't get that.
Honestly, I've always found math very comforting. I mean, I deal with humanities, theology, ethics, history, and languages. All of these contain ambiguous and multifaceted interactions.

Doing some simple log stuff, or even trig stuff for books or for fun is very soothing for me for the very purpose that it has a concrete answer, even if that answer is "undefined". Compared to traditional criterion for just war theory and its relevance to Israeli foreign policy or something... that's SO NEAT!

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2005, 03:52:09 AM »

I'm picturing Bemidjiblade sitting curled up on the couch, late at night, all alone. With his math book clutched to his chest, he rocks and slowly repeats, "I know the answer. The answer is clear. It's going to be alright. I know the answer...."

Other than that, I agree.

jefnvk · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2005, 07:19:45 AM »

Yeah, how can someone not like math. It is one of the few subjects where opinion doesn't matter, and everything follows rules. In other words, one of the few things that you can't get screwed in because of your opinions.

K Frame · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2005, 07:30:42 AM »

Obviously the idiot never met calculus.

Nathaniel Firethorn · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2005, 07:55:12 AM »

Quote

There are no shades of grey, everything is black and white.

Or matrix algebra, for that matter. Otherwise he'd know that the shades of gray are a 1024x768 matrix of integers from 0 to 255. Wink

- NF

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2005, 08:29:07 AM »

Quote

Math is cold and calculating.

Math! G. W. Bush's dark master. Will he stop at nothing to subject us to the iron law of sine equals opposite over hypotenuse?! Hey hey! Ho ho! Mathematics got to go!

People, she accused math of being CALCULATING! It's math - MATH - it is calculation.

Telperion · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2005, 04:29:38 PM »

Quote

One woman interviewed said, "Math is cold and calculating. There are no shades of grey, everything is black and white."

And math provides the answer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuzzy_logic

Antibubba · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2005, 05:12:50 PM »

Anyone who thinks that math has no shades of grey has never seen my checkbook.

jefnvk · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2005, 06:02:53 PM »

Quote

has never seen my checkbook

What is a checkbook? Cheesy

grampster · « **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2005, 07:01:18 AM »

What ith math? Ith it a religiouth theremony for people who lithp?

thorn · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2005, 10:56:00 AM »

anyone else not suprised "fuzzy logic" comes from Berkeley?

>>>> Hey, you know what just isn't cool?
lava?<<<<

that is AWESOME funny!!!!

P95Carry · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2005, 03:34:28 PM »

Math - best ''black and white'' thing going - said however as one who never found it easy going at all.

So - following Mike's comment - ''dv/dt'' to y'all Cheesy

Bemidjiblade · « **Reply #15 on:** August 27, 2005, 04:44:49 PM »

Quote

I'm picturing Bemidjiblade sitting curled up on the couch, late at night, all alone. With his math book clutched to his chest, he rocks and slowly repeats, "I know the answer. The answer is clear. It's going to be alright. I know the answer...."

Other than that, I agree.

Fistful, that's freaking hillarious.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #16 on:** August 27, 2005, 05:35:57 PM »

Glad you have a sense of humor. What is a bemidji blade anyway?

Bemidjiblade · « **Reply #17 on:** August 28, 2005, 09:28:49 AM »

a fencing fanatic stuck in the shadow of Paul and Babe.
I'm the blade. Bemidji is the town.

Justin · « **Reply #18 on:** August 28, 2005, 03:11:57 PM »

Quote

Yeah, how can someone not like math. It is one of the few subjects where opinion doesn't matter, and everything follows rules. In other words, one of the few things that you can't get screwed in because of your opinions.

Because I am completely incapable of doing it. I can recognize that math is exceedingly useful for many, many things. I can recognize that without math in its infinite forms, we would still be using charred bits of wood to scratch pictures of jackalopes on cave walls, scatter with fear at thunder, and die at the ripe old age of 24.

Without math, I would be incapable of doing my job as a digital graphic designer.

Despite all of this, I have come to the conclusion that after two years of advanced algebra, trig, and a semester of calculus that I just don't get it.

To all of you who have an affinity and ability to do any sort of math above and beyond the functions found on a throwaway solar-powered calculator, my hat's off to you.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 29, 2005, 05:42:42 AM »

Quote

To all of you who have an affinity and ability to do any sort of math above and beyond the functions found on a throwaway solar-powered calculator

Y'know, it's a funny thing. I can barely do college algebra, but I can estimate taxes to within about $10 without doing the worksheets. Put a dollar sign in front of it, and everything becomes clear. I guess it's the Jewish blood or something.

CatsDieNow · « **Reply #20 on:** August 29, 2005, 06:52:20 AM »

I have the opposite problem. Math with dollar signs is just all kinds of messed up, and yet I manage to hold down a job as an engineer.

uvakat · « **Reply #21 on:** August 29, 2005, 09:19:15 AM »

Quote from: CatsDieNow

I have the opposite problem. Math with dollar signs is just all kinds of messed up, and yet I manage to hold down a job as an engineer.

LOL I definitely can relate to that. I can't seem to keep my checkbook straight, but give me calculus or a 1024x768 matrix of integers from 0 to 255 I can do.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #22 on:** August 29, 2005, 08:23:57 PM »

Quote

Put a dollar sign in front of it, and everything becomes clear. I guess it's the Jewish blood or something.

I knew there was something about you guys. smiley

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Author Topic: FLASH: Math is cold, calculating (Read 3996 times)