For me, the trouble I had with the concept of the square root of a negative number was a lot like the trouble I had accepting the idea of negative numbers themselves. For years (it seemed like) the teachers had been telling me "You can't subtract a bigger number from a smaller number," and suddenly they were saying, "Now you can." I was mad at them for changing the rules.
Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins. Twenty years old. Born on the fourth of July — and don't think there weren't jokes about that my whole life, mister, 'cause there were. 'Who's our little patriot?' they'd say, when I was younger and therefore smaller and shorter than I am now.
Anya ,'Potential'
Spike's Bitches 21 Gunn Salute
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risque (and frisque), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
dcp - Jan 15, 2005 2:57:11 pm PST #4622 of 10002
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.
DCJensen - Jan 15, 2005 3:02:14 pm PST #4623 of 10002
All is well that ends in pizza.
For me, the trouble with the concept of the square root of a negative number was a lot like the trouble I had accepting the idea of negative numbers. For years (it seemed like) the teachers had been telling me "You can't subtract a bigger number from a smaller number," and suddenly they were saying, "Now you can." I was mad at them for changing the rules.
It must have been hell when people started agreeing on the use of Zero....
P.M. Marc - Jan 15, 2005 3:05:18 pm PST #4624 of 10002
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear
I hate basic arithmetic, but love the whole notion of math as language to explain things with. Which may explain why I did much better in math courses with a practical application, like statistics.
deborah grabien - Jan 15, 2005 3:15:16 pm PST #4625 of 10002
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.
i exists just as much as 2 exists. Or just as little as 2 exists, if you want to look at it that way.
Thus "proving" my philosophy, which is that nothing is an absolute, including math, and therefore nothing should be presented as such.
Please to come poke me with the fork when the math talk is gone? Thankee. Will be making chicken salad offline.
DCJensen - Jan 15, 2005 3:17:44 pm PST #4626 of 10002
All is well that ends in pizza.
Ahem.
I just posted on Live Journal.
SailAweigh - Jan 15, 2005 3:19:05 pm PST #4627 of 10002
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb
Tell me that when it matters to me. I'm still locked out. Hmph.
Lee - Jan 15, 2005 3:19:46 pm PST #4628 of 10002
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.
Me too, SailAweigh, me too.
SailAweigh - Jan 15, 2005 3:23:31 pm PST #4629 of 10002
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb
It's a conspiracy, Lee. You and me. They hate us.
DCJensen - Jan 15, 2005 3:24:40 pm PST #4630 of 10002
All is well that ends in pizza.
It's sloooooooooow as molasses, but I actually logged in and replied to someone's LJ.
Wooo.
I'm sure they'll be swamped.
brenda m - Jan 15, 2005 3:24:57 pm PST #4631 of 10002
If you're going through hell/keep on going/don't slow down/keep your fear from showing/you might be gone/'fore the devil even knows you're there
Curse them, hoarding the preciousss.