in reply to Advanced Math?

You are creating a script that gives answers to sample problems after you've given it a try, and not creating a script to do your math homework for you? Right?

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Re: Re: Advanced Math?
by hsmyers (Canon) on Jul 27, 2003 at 00:51 UTC
    I remember a time when a maths instructor was horribly upset with the entire class and gave an assignment wherein the correct answer was required (else flunk the course). Since I'd been slacking I had no clue as to how to attack the challenge---but I did have a computer! Wrote code until the wee hours and until I finally understood what in hell was going on. At the point the solution was obvious (at least to my new found vantage point) so I wrote it up and turned it in, one of two who actually solved the silly thing. He didn't flunk anyone, as he had calmed down but it was a fun ride while it lasted!

    --hsm

    "Never try to teach a pig to sing...it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."
[reply]
      Reminds me of the time I solved this problem:

      A man walks towards his house at 4 miles an hour. At the time he sets off, a fly leaves the man's house, flying at 8 miles an hour. When it reaches the man, it turns around and flies back to the house. It keeps repeating this journey until the man reaches the house an hour later. How far did the fly fly?

      I spent ages working out where their paths intersected and how far the fly flew each circuit, ending up with an infinite series. On summing the series, I slapped my head and let out the oh so classic exclamation of "d'oh".

      cLive ;-)

      PS, for those of you as clueless as me, highlight below:
      The fly flew 8 miles, since the man walked for one hour and the fly flew for one hour.

[reply]
        Reminds me another "d'oh" problem. Drill a 6 inche deep cylinder through a sphere. What's the remaining volume of the sphere? Hint: assume the answer exists for any sphere, the answer exists also for a sphere such that the cylinder has zero radius.
[reply]
      You wouldn't happen to have a copy of the math problem available, would you?

      Looking for a challenge,
      Petras
      Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats.

      -Howard Aiken
[reply]

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