Willow ,'Lessons'
[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.
That's a perfectly fine way of doing math! That's what math is about! The equations and formulas are just ways of generalizing those patterns!
Dammit, why weren't you teaching math in Southwestern Pa 35 years ago! If I'd known my mind really was working on a mathy track, I'd be an engineer today.
the question wasn't 'what is the answer' but 'why is the answer the right answer'. To be very honest - the right answer is a start, however, the why part is often more important in both the theoretical areas of math, and in the practical real world areas of a job. So I understand why he doesn't get all the points.
happy birthday young Christopher!
More ma ~~~ sending out to all in need.
and extra karma points to Aimee.
xyz = 8
5(xy) + 15(xy) + 10(yz)
25xy + 10yz
25(8/z) + 10(8/x)
200/z + 80/x
Okay, I'm clearly doing this problem wrong.
Oh shit! There are four sides!
5(xy) + 15(xy) + 4 x 10(yz)
25xy + 40yz
25(8/z) + 40(8/x)
200/z + 320/x
320/x + 200/z
Okay, I'm still clearly doing this problem wrong.
Well, fuck, there's the part where I CAN'T ADD.
20xy + 40yz
20(8/z) + 40(8/x)
160/z + 320/x
320/x + 160/z
Well, shit, this has them all costing the same. I suck.
P-C, you missed the part that said that the base is a square.
Well, shit, this has them all costing the same. I suck.
Just remember, PC, the world hasn't lost a biological researcher, it's gained one less way for someone to say "whoops, forget that conclusion I announced to the world press yesterday, I did the math wrong."
P-C, you missed the part that said that the base is a square.
I'm confused, then. Then there are only two possibilities, right? That the base is is either 2 x 2 or 1 x 1? And the base is automatically the top and bottom? So all you do is try out both possibilities?
20(2)(2) + 40(2)(2) = 240
20(1)(1) + 40(1)(8) = 340
I won!
(I saw the square thing before, but I didn't think THAT'S what it meant, because it made the problem way too easy.)
P-C, you missed the part that said that the base is a square.
And the part that said the box has to be big enough to contain three spherical cows.
Anyway, I agree that the question really is, "find the dimensions that results in the minimal cost, using differential calculus to show why your answer results in the minimum." Even if the question doesn't say that exactly, it's implied by virtue of being on the test at this time.
Then there are only two possibilities, right? That the base is is either 2 x 2 or 1 x 1? And the base is automatically the top and bottom? So all you do is try out both possibilities?
Who said that the sides had to be integers? 4 x 4 x 1/2 or 3 x 3 x 8/9 or any of an infinite number of others would get a volume of 8 cubic feet, too.
I'm confused, then. Then there are only two possibilities, right? That the base is is either 2 x 2 or 1 x 1?
eta xposty...
That's assuming the answer is in whole numbers. (Too lazy to go back to the question and see if that assumption is stated.)
Anyway, if I were writing the question, I'd make it so it'd be much harder to guess in this way. Or else include the "using differential calculus, show why this is so" part.
Who said that the sides had to be integers?
Yeah, I just realized that. Oooops.
So that makes x=y.
(x^2)z = 8
20x^2 + 40xz
160/z + 320/x
Aaaand, yeah, I forgot how to do calculus.