March 3, 200917 yr US maths fanatics celebrate Square Root Day A RARE event is upon us, touted by maths fanatics as Square Root Day. The event, which only occurs nine times each century, falls on Tuesday this time - 3/3/09 (for the mathematically challenged, three is the square root of nine). "We have but nine of these days in a century, and hope all can enjoy a little math fun on Tuesday," said Ron Gordon, a Redwood City teacher who started a contest meant to get people excited about the event. The winner gets, of course, $339 for having the biggest Square Root Day event. Gordon's daughter even set up a Facebook page - one of a half-dozen or so dedicated to the day - and hundreds of people had signed up with plans to celebrate in some way. Celebrations are as varied: Some cut root vegetables into squares, others make food in the shape of a square root symbol. The last such day was five years ago, Feb. 2, 2004, which coincided with Groundhog Day. The next is seven years away, on April 4, 2016. Gordon knows most people won't notice the odd calendar event, but hopes those that do get a chuckle out of it. "These days are like calendar comets, you wait and wait and wait for them, then they brighten up your day - and poof - they're gone," he said.
March 3, 200917 yr Author I included the bit about being mathematically challenged just for you. (And the other women members).
March 3, 200917 yr I hate to break this to you scead, but my sister is an internationally known (in her field) research scientist. BS in Inorganic Chemistry, BS in Physics, MS in Applied Engineering and PhD in Applied Engineering. She is considered a leading researcher in her field and holds quite a few patents in her name. She'd probably think this day is great and I am sure already knows all about it Personally, I have a theory. See, she's the oldest and she got most the math brains, my middle sister came along and got what was left. By the time I was born, the math brains were all gone
March 3, 200917 yr Author I have a niece with similar qualifications in plantology, (the science of plants), so I suspect the occasional use of sums is required there. I wasn't bad at maths until it got to a certain level and then it all became a meaningless babble. What do those little x signs mean anyway?
March 3, 200917 yr I hate to break this to you scead, but my sister is an internationally known (in her field) research scientist. BS in Inorganic Chemistry, BS in Physics, MS in Applied Engineering and PhD in Applied Engineering. She is considered a leading researcher in her field and holds quite a few patents in her name.She'd probably think this day is great and I am sure already knows all about it Personally, I have a theory. See, she's the oldest and she got most the math brains, my middle sister came along and got what was left. By the time I was born, the math brains were all gone I'm the youngest of 11 kids, now that explains a lot! I have a niece with similar qualifications in plantology, (the science of plants), so I suspect the occasional use of sums is required there.I wasn't bad at maths until it got to a certain level and then it all became a meaningless babble. What do those little x signs mean anyway? I was exactly the same, great at Maths until the age of about 13-14, then it all became too much. I can't do the complex formula maths at all...
March 3, 200917 yr I hate to break this to you scead, but my sister is an internationally known (in her field) research scientist. BS in Inorganic Chemistry, BS in Physics, MS in Applied Engineering and PhD in Applied Engineering. She is considered a leading researcher in her field and holds quite a few patents in her name.She'd probably think this day is great and I am sure already knows all about it Personally, I have a theory. See, she's the oldest and she got most the math brains, my middle sister came along and got what was left. By the time I was born, the math brains were all gone Something similar in my family. The third kid has none of the sums, all the funs What do those little x signs mean anyway? x = kisses o = hugs. Kayo! xoxox
March 3, 200917 yr Something similar in my family. The third kid has none of the sums, all the funs I like that I think I will have to use that one myself from now on. Cheers kayo
March 3, 200917 yr I'm a first-born, and I got the math brains in *my* family, too.... maybe SBK's right!!!
March 3, 200917 yr Seeing that this thread was started by an Ocker I was expecting something completely different when discussing square roots. I also get confused when cooking. Who would ever want to root vegetables?
March 3, 200917 yr Parsnips, carrots - good root vegetables for a square meal. (Did someone say something about a coat?)
March 4, 200917 yr Author It appears that some people find it though. "and hope all can enjoy a little math fun" Is Math fun an oxymoron?
March 4, 200917 yr I have a niece with similar qualifications in plantology, (the science of plants), so I suspect the occasional use of sums is required there.I wasn't bad at maths until it got to a certain level and then it all became a meaningless babble. What do those little x signs mean anyway? that's when the beauty lets her hair as well her remaining underwear down. freaks like me consider some equations as beautiful as a poem from Hafez recited in original Farsi. thanks for thinking that i'm an àsshole... you might be right
March 4, 200917 yr How many people does it take for a square root? I would guess a minimum of 4. You can do it with two, but they do have to be bendy. Fun with maths? ...... it's a con, people trying to make a subject more interesting whose linguistic skills don't get past the word 'fun'. I prefer a well rounded root my myself anyway (especially potatoes )
March 4, 200917 yr Now is probably the time to slip in LuengKen's Law..... There was an Indian Chief, and he had three squaws, and kept them in three teepees. When he would come home late from hunting, he would not know which teepee contained which squaw, since it was dark. He went hunting one day, and killed a hippopotamus, a bear, and a buffalo. He put the a hide from each animal into a different teepee, so that when he came home late, he could feel inside the teepee and he would know which squaw was inside. Well after about a year, all three squaws had children. The squaw on the bear had a baby boy, the squaw on the buffalo hide had a baby girl. But the squaw on the hippopotamus had a girl and a boy. So what is the moral of the story? "The Squaw on the Hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the Squaw on the other 2 Hides." I'll see myself out.............
March 4, 200917 yr on a more serious note, I thought that I couldn't do math because I couldn't do arithmatic...then, one day when I was in my late 20s I found meself in a classroom (Basic Algebra, or Algebra I) and the teacher said "Here...look; any idiot can do it...you just gotta follow the rules and there ain't many rules to follow...'. He then proceeded to illustrate in a very clear and concise manner. I thought "shit...all this time them teachers in high school were just fakin' it...an' they useta make fun of me as well..." I think it had something to do with having a lot of girlfriends...them math dudes always resented us lover boys... so now I says to anyone that will listen "numbers ain't got nothin' to do with it; the skill is in setting up a problem in a way that facilitates it's solution..." Anyone that's used LaPlace transformation to solve nth order differential equations knows what I'm talking about...not a whole lotta numbers around. being able to model things is great...makes you feel like God...
March 4, 200917 yr How many people does it take for a square root? I would guess a minimum of 4. You can do it with two, but they do have to be bendy. Fun with maths? ...... it's a con, people trying to make a subject more interesting whose linguistic skills don't get past the word 'fun'. I prefer a well rounded root my myself anyway (especially potatoes ) Potatoes 'aint root vegetables, they're swollen stems. Now is probably the time to slip in LuengKen's Law.....There was an Indian Chief, and he had three squaws, and kept them in three teepees. When he would come home late from hunting, he would not know which teepee contained which squaw, since it was dark. He went hunting one day, and killed a hippopotamus, a bear, and a buffalo. He put the a hide from each animal into a different teepee, so that when he came home late, he could feel inside the teepee and he would know which squaw was inside. Well after about a year, all three squaws had children. The squaw on the bear had a baby boy, the squaw on the buffalo hide had a baby girl. But the squaw on the hippopotamus had a girl and a boy. So what is the moral of the story? "The Squaw on the Hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the Squaw on the other 2 Hides." I'll see myself out............. Best laugh I've had all day!
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