Topic: Math makes my head hurt - split from Joke Thread

[Kaiaatzl]

Lol nice.

Fun fact: If we had a different number of fingers and toes the only thing different would be that we wouldn't count in base 10.

[-<WillyP>-]

That's true! If we had twelve of each, counting by twelve would be as natual as ten is now. Instead of the decimal system we would have the dozenimal system.

[Matthew]

I'm not entirely sure that's true. If you add 10+10, only the first number changes and you get 20. If you add 12+12, both digits change and you get 24.

Also... That's so punny I almost dyed!

[TechPro]

I'm not entirely sure that's true. If you add 10+10, only the first number changes and you get 20. If you add 12+12, both digits change and you get 24.

Also... That's so punny I almost dyed!

You're assuming we'd be using numbers based on 10 digits.  'base 12' just like 'base 8' (Octal) or 'base 16' (Hexadecimal) simply has sufficient characters to go the distance before the second digit changes.  Hexadecimal is an excellent example of how this works.

[Matthew]

Hexidecimal my head doth make hurt.

(IPv6.... Eeek!)

[Scyphi]

That's because you don't have sixteen fingers.

(don't worry, it makes my head hurt too,)

[VANGUARD]

algebra gives me headaches. any math with letters, like x's and y's, and advanced fractions, etc. I run for the hills.

updated: I meant, letters, not numbers. I edited it.

[Scyphi]

The only thing I could ever really do consistently successfully and without effort was basic equations solving for x, like x+10=35, or 5y+4=22. (not real equations)

Beyond that, I don't think I ever really got my head to wrap around algebra very well either.

[Kaiaatzl]

I could never remember if you reverse order of operations when you're trying to isolate X, or if you keep doing order of operations when you're taking the terms out of the equation to get X by itself.  I do remember some equations in grade 12 pre-calc where it did matter -- but after that course I lost all confidence in my ability to do math -- until I took statistics last year, and it was really easy (yes, you heard right, stats was easy ).  I think it was the best mark I got that term.

I'm lucky though, my brother is a math genius.

[Scyphi]

I'm lucky though, my brother is a math genius.

So's my own younger brother. He's the first person I'll turn to for quick help on anything math related. Like when I'm cooking dinner, and I need to make a double batch, but the box only lists the instructions for one batch. So frequently have to stop and shout at him in the other room what certain measurements are doubled, like one-fourth cup doubled.

I'm terrible at mental math, see. I still have to do basic addition on my fingers, and I'm twenty-two! 

[Kaiaatzl]

At least you can cook .
I've heard most 22 year old males haven't learned yet (but I wouldn't know because I cook lots).

[Matthew]

I can do all the way up to precalc and some calc with relative ease, the only thing that I can't do very well is trig functions. Not necessarily in my head, but with relatively little in the way of written work. I just need to see it written out so I can form a solid mental image of it, then I can go mentally from there usually.

Now I have to learn Binary and Octal, and presumably at some point, Hex.

[TechPro]

First Binary, then Hex.  Octal can come later.  Reasons: Binary is the language of computers.  Hex is the math of programming.  Octal is ... somewhere in between.

[Matthew]

First Binary, then Hex.  Octal can come later.  Reasons: Binary is the language of computers.  Hex is the math of programming.  Octal is ... somewhere in between.

Octal is the language of networking. IP addresses, subnets, all that yummy stuff requires octal math. Bytes are also octal in size.

[Kaiaatzl]

Oh lord, trig...
The only part of advanced pre-calc I don't have problems with is factorials... which everyone else hated!  And I guess that's why I did so well in stats (because in stats, most of the math involves !'s and probabilities).
But I have vowed never to do trigonometry again.  It feels like being eaten alive by bears and also being eaten alive by wolves, both at the same time.
I wonder how it might work if we had paws and couldn't move our digits independently?

Thread split, maybe?  I'd like to continue this conversation, but not at the cost of laughing.