Math Is Fun Forum

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

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"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi;

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi phrontister;

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

Last edited by phrontister (2012-03-11 01:03:40)

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi;

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: What do you think?

hi bobbym

---

“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

Last edited by phrontister (2012-03-11 10:23:31)

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi phrontister;

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi;

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi;

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

Last edited by phrontister (2012-03-11 11:40:22)

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi phrontister;

Would you consent to starting a new thread for the new problem and putting back the old problem the way it was?

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

I didn't keep a copy of the original, and besides, as it had holes in it that allowed for multiple solutions I'm not sure it should be resurrected. Can you track back to it?

I don't mind starting a new thread. It might be a good idea, anyway, seeing I got way off topic from your post #1629. Maybe all our off-topic to-ings and fro-ings re my puzzle could be deleted to tidy things back up.

Is that what your request is getting at?

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi;

I can not move individual posts, the site does not support that. But your problem is good enough to start its own thread. So please do that.

I will recreate the old question in case someone wants to work on that.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi;

I have amended the problem, post #1644 so that there is the solutions we have discovered. It serves as a good warmup to your tougher problem.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

phrontister

Real Member

From: The Land of Tomorrow

Registered: 2009-07-12

Posts: 4,880

Re: What do you think?

Hi Bobby,

I've started the new thread for my puzzle...and I tried to express the wording more clearly, too (hope I succeeded!)

Thanks for helping to iron it out.

---

"The good news about computers is that they do what you tell them to do. The bad news is that they do what you tell them to do." - Ted Nelson

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Hi;

I enjoyed working on it.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: What do you think?

Hi bobbym

Well this was interesting.

---

“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

Yes, it was interesting.

For any one who is interested there are two outstanding problems at post #1629 and #1644. Try them!

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: What do you think?

New problem:

A says) A person in town walked up to me and asked me a question that was puzzling them. They said there are 2555 people who live in town. When we checked the birth certificates we found that there were 5 days of 2011 that did not have a birthday for their town.

You mean 5 days did not have anyone born on those days with a population 2555! That is preposterous cried A, whomever did that tallying should be dismissed. As mayor I will do it myself, what is her name!

B says) Hold on A. There is almost a 25% chance of there being exactly 5 days with no birthday, hardly cause for dismissing someone. She might be correct in her count.

A says) There you go again, getting it all wrong B. I really think you should stick to whatever it is you used to do before you worked as mathematician. By the Dirichlet drawer principle there is slightly more than 7 birthdays for each of the 365 days. The odds are billions to one against there being 5 days with no birthday.

C says) A is right B. Did you really work on our country's defenses? No wonder we are slipping. You probably cost us Nam.

D says) Yes, B does look like a commie to me, let's take him out back and string him up.

E says) Hold on B is not a commie! It is A who should be hanged for continually misusing math. That explanation using the pigeonhole principle is about as bad as can be. B's estimate of 25% is pretty close.

A says) E, I do not think you know anything about probability or pigeons.

C says) Here, here! That is telling her. Let's get two ropes.

Looks bad for B and E, can you save them before A and his moonies lynch them?

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

gAr

Member

Registered: 2011-01-09

Posts: 3,482

Re: What do you think?

Hi bobbym,

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"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense"  - Buddha?

"Data! Data! Data!" he cried impatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay."

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: What do you think?

hi bobbym

Last edited by anonimnystefy (2012-03-30 03:40:20)

---

“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.