Not Always Thread

[dpareja]

Complex numbers are lame. Start explaining to the class about quaternions.

Associativity is for wimps. Octonians all the way.

[Eiki-mun]

Complex numbers are lame. Start explaining to the class about quaternions.

Associativity is for wimps. Octonians all the way.

Real men use sedenions.

[ironbite]

Non-Euclidian geometry for the win!

[R. U. Sirius]

Non-Euclidian geometry for the win!

Ia, ia, Cthulhu ftaghn!

[Eiki-mun]

Tell me, have you ever considered complex or imaginary time?

It's a thing, you know. It exists.

[Ironchew]

Tell me, have you ever considered complex or imaginary time?

It's a thing, you know. It exists.

Why am I reminded of this:

For personal reasons, I do not browse the web from my computer. (I also have no net connection much of the time.) To look at page I send mail to a daemon which runs wget and mails the page back to me. It is very efficient use of my time, but it is slow in real time. -- Richard Stallman

[Sigmaleph]

My little brother has memorized an equation that, when graphed, forms a crude but recognizable middle finger for such an occasion. He hasn't had to use it yet, but the upperclassmen math teachers are notoriously bad so I'm sure he will.

Something like the absolute value of the cardinal sine, between -3π and 3π?

(Probably not the best fit, but it's what I came up with off the top of my head)

Complex numbers are lame. Start explaining to the class about quaternions.

Bah, quaternions suck. Vector analysis kicked their ass over a hundred years ago. Sure, they had some trivial resurfacing later, but they are a shadow of their former self.

[Radiation]

You guys are confusing me and making me hate math even more. And I have Aspergher's Syndrome; math is supposed to be what I'm good at since I suck at social skills. What is the freakin' deal?

You aren't the only Aspie with a math problem. I have Asperger's and I totally suck at math.

[Ironchew]

Math. The only subject where the general public still gets in an anti-intellectual pissing match about how much they hate it.

If you're bad at math, there are so many resources out there to help you that there's virtually no excuse.

[Witchyjoshy]

Math. The only subject where the general public still gets in an anti-intellectual pissing match about how much they hate it.

If you're bad at math, there are so many resources out there to help you that there's virtually no excuse.

Learning disabilities don't exist!
Everyone has equal access to all resources ever at any point in time!
Everyone has time to devote to these resources while doing many hours of homework between classes!
If you don't agree with me, you're anti-intellectual!

[Ironchew]

Math. The only subject where the general public still gets in an anti-intellectual pissing match about how much they hate it.

If you're bad at math, there are so many resources out there to help you that there's virtually no excuse.

Learning disabilities don't exist!
Everyone has equal access to all resources ever at any point in time!
Everyone has time to devote to these resources while doing many hours of homework between classes!
If you don't agree with me, you're anti-intellectual!

We're already dealing with a rarefied subset of FQA members. They have the resources and the time.

[Witchyjoshy]

Math. The only subject where the general public still gets in an anti-intellectual pissing match about how much they hate it.

If you're bad at math, there are so many resources out there to help you that there's virtually no excuse.

Learning disabilities don't exist!
Everyone has equal access to all resources ever at any point in time!
Everyone has time to devote to these resources while doing many hours of homework between classes!
If you don't agree with me, you're anti-intellectual!

We're already dealing with a rarefied subset of FQA members. They have the resources and the time.

And you know this... how exactly?

Oh that's right.  You don't.  You're making assumptions based off of your preconceived notions.

Not that it matters, because it's none of your business.

[Eiki-mun]

There is a lot of irrational math hate, though. You can't deny that.

[Witchyjoshy]

There is a lot of irrational math hate, though. You can't deny that.

True, but I believe it has more to do with a system that punishes people for failing to understand it by denying them aid, while simultaneously shaming them for failing to be competent.  It's hardly anti-intellectualism, simply fatigue from having math taught in the same manner as having a brick wall repeatedly rammed into your head.

[R. U. Sirius]

There is a lot of irrational math hate, though. You can't deny that.

True, but I believe it has more to do with a system that punishes people for failing to understand it by denying them aid, while simultaneously shaming them for failing to be competent.  It's hardly anti-intellectualism, simply fatigue from having math taught in the same manner as having a brick wall repeatedly rammed into your head.

Pretty much this. I have nothing but respect for people who use math to better our world, especially scientists. Unfortunately, at the schools I went to, very little above arithmetic was given any sort of context to apply, which made it difficult for me to understand or remember beyond the test. For a while, I was able to do quadratic equations in my head, but it didn't stick because I had nothing to apply it to in my own life.