Fuzzy Math
embarrassing, work October 23rd, 2008My husband Dave likes to think I have the answers to everything off the top of my head, including stuff I haven’t seen, studied or heard about in years. He has such faith in me. Silly man.
He phoned me from his office this morning to see if I could run to the store on my way home from work. In the same breath, he said "Write this down," and I dutifully scrawled the following:
3(n-1) = 5n + 3 - 2n
This randomness is typical of our conversations. Hi. How’s your day going? Get eggs and bread. Solve for n.
I asked him why he was making me do algebra so early in the day, or anytime, for that matter. "Because Bill’s daughter got this in her homework and she told her teacher it wasn’t solvable. The teacher said it was, and now they’re having a dispute."
I quickly worked the equation and got this as a result:
3n - 3 = 3n + 3
You can see right away there is no solution. No value for n will make this statement true.
At least I hope there’s no solution, because I told Dave I was sure of it, and he told Bill "My wife is sure there is no solution," and Bill’s gonna tell his kid to tell her teacher "Kathy says there’s no solution!"
Apparently my husband has convinced his co-worker that I’m some kind of algebra expert. I was once. Twenty five years ago! I’m a lot fuzzier on algebraic formulas now. As I keep looking at the equation, I’m worried there’s some bizarre value for n that makes it true.
Is it solvable if n is an irrational number or something? Is there a mathematician in the house? Or a high schooler who’s currently taking algebra?
If this post gave you a headache, I’m sorry. Think of cotton candy and puppies instead. That’ll cleanse you of all things math.
p.s. Tomorrow I reveal the winner of What’s That? Wednesday!
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Stumble it!
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Oy Ve
I don’t DO math anymore lol. I loved it in highschool, got all A’s. Then I came to college and waited a year and a half before taking college algebra. BAD DECISION.
I have NO idea how to work that lol.
THAT girl’s last blog post..DIE!! Oops, I mean, DYE!!!
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Puppies…think of puppies…soft, sweet, fuzzy puppies. Whew! That’s better. Any kind of question about math makes my brain seize up immediately, and then the room starts to go dark and I want to run away. Fortunately, I have a husband who not only is really good at math, but enjoys it; and, we don’t have kids, so there are no homework questions to deal with. Unfortunately, I like to sew, which involves a lot of math for the measuring and cutting. The Husband is still willing to do all the ciphering for me, but I don’t know how long his patience will last.
absepa’s last blog post..Insert Obligatory “DWTS” Commentary Here
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Miz Scahlett, I don’t nothin’ ’bout math but I AM rockin’ out to your music……Oh! Salsa, everybody…..
Happy Hour Sue’s last blog post..Groundhog Day
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I tried to pet my fuzzy puppy to make the Algebra go away. I found him under the dining room table scribbling calculations in his attempt to try to take over the world.
PS: Blitzkrieg (my dog) agrees that there isn’t a solution.
Condo Blues’s last blog post..Budget Friendly Cleaners: Make Your Own Green Scrubbing Bubbles!
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
EEEECK! WILL A CAT DO?!!!!
I don’t have a fuzzy puppy and I don’t know what all that scribble you wrote down means! What’s algebra? I think we might have touched on it at school, but that was 40 years ago!
Babs - beetle’s last blog post..Diamonds. A girls best friend? - Part 2
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
It is one of those does not equal equations because by using some property of addition (I forgot what it’s called) when you can add something to one side and then the same to another, you wind up with 0=6.
So, it’s one of thise equations where you get to use that does not equal sign.
I’m 99 and 44/100s % sure.
Joe’s last blog post..I got nothing
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Oh gosh, I was doing what you were– looking at it and thinking “What about 0, would 0 work though…. noooo….. How about a negative number?… Um, noooo…”
And to think I became a writer so I wouldn’t have to do algebra!
Jenn’s last blog post..Showdown at Crazy Francois’ Maison de Fier
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Like some people “don’t do windows”
This chick does not do math - ( i couln’t even guess the right number of balloons)
but good luck with that.
Jamie’s last blog post..Confession….
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Kathy now you went and let everyone know I don’t know how to do algebra!
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Simplifying
3(n + -1) = 5n + 3 + -2n
(-1 * 3 + n * 3) = 5n + 3 + -2n
(-3 + 3n) = 5n + 3 + -2n
Reorder the terms:
-3 + 3n = 3 + 5n + -2n
Combine like terms:
-3 + 3n = 3 + 3n
Add ‘-3n’ to each side of the equation.
-3 + 3n + -3n = 3 + 3n + -3n
Combine like terms:
-3 + (3n -3n) = 3 + (3n - 3n)
-3 + 0 = 3 + 0
Solving
-3 = 3
This equation is invalid, the left and right sides are not equal, therefore there is no solution.
Jaffer’s last blog post..Backyards by the track…
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I haven’t done math. Algebraish math in gosh 10 years. Way to go Jaffer!
Curtis’s last blog post..Cone Flowers this Summer
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Jaffer’s answer is right and unless the teacher means it’s solvable as in- “it’s invalid therefore you solved the fact that it’s invalid,” I’d be requesting a different teacher. Then again, what do I know, my high school Algebra II teacher was caught trying to pick up a prostitute- that so happened to be a man dressed as a woman.
Beth’s last blog post..Waking Up Is Hard To Do- In Other Words, Don’t Hurt Yourself.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Thanks Curtis. As an “egg-head” I need to keep up my reputation !
Beth - the math-teacher is trivial.
Rechecking…
Ronald is pleased !
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Oh! We’re doing this kind of thing in math. Our quiz is tomorrow. Solve for x:
2x - 5 = -1
6x + 7 = 26
Simplify:
4n + 3n + n - 2
9k - 2k + 11k - 7 + 3
8(g+13)
6(m-12)
And more like that. It’s actually pretty easy… But can YOU figure it out?? Oh, and don’t worry. This isn’t any of my homework. I didn’t have math homework tonight…
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Algebra was my favorite math. It served me well in later years when I was a spreadsheet junky. These days it just hurts my head. I much prefer PHP, and that just shows you how sick I really am.
It’s one of those trick questions that school teachers like to tease kids with to make them look superior. Don’t they have better things to do???
Blog Bloke’s last blog post..Blog Tips and News Clips 2008-10-23
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
i’m breaking into cold sweat just thinking about it.
btw, i gave you a shout out on my blog in this post.
http://theneuroticmom.blogspot.com/2008/10/iq-ha.html
Kelly’s last blog post..Throwback Thursday
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I did what commenter #10 did as well. So, it’s an invalid equation, as the two sides never equaled one another.
Thanks for bringing back fond memories of 7th grade!
muskrat’s last blog post..where have you gone, fair queen zima? i used to turn my lonely eyes to you.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:38 pm
TG and Erica confirm it is unsolvable. Me, I wouldn’t know.
Let’s talk about Johnny Depp!
Jenny’s last blog post..Four Minutes For America
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I prefer PHP as well, but my hubby, he of the 2 engineering degrees, agrees with you, it is not solvable.
Shadowsrider’s last blog post..Who wants to be a millionaire?
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
The real question was who was the evil genius who designed the problem in the first place. Probably the same person who pens those songs that get stuck in your head.
carol at A Second Cup’s last blog post..Aging With Grace: Thinking Time
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:41 pm
If you divide out by 3, you get (n-1) = (n + 1). The n’s cancel each other out and you are left with -1 = 1 which is false. The equation has no solution for n.
This is grade 8 level of maths.
Richard Catto’s last blog post..Driving Miss Daisy
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Kathy:
Initially I’d guess that teacher has a long, deep crack in the top of her head. Ouch! However, maybe the teacher wanted the students to beat their brains out trying to solve the problem, and then learn through their efforts that there’s really no solution. Is that worth a big, red apple?
Happy trails.
Swubird’s last blog post..APOLLO!
October 24th, 2008 at 4:29 am
Unless this has a direct bearing on when our breakfast will be served we just do not care about math.
Gandalf and Grayson’s last blog post..Finally Friday!
October 24th, 2008 at 5:21 am
That equation is invalid coz it attempts to validate unequal constants (like “-3 equals 3″).
Maybe you wrote down the equation wrong?…How abt a +2n instead?
That works out:
3(n-1) = 5n + 3 + 2n
3n - 3 = 7n + 3
3n - 7n = 3 + 3
-4n = 6
n = -1.5
I can’t think of anything else
ps. followed a link from ManiaRavings; nice blog you got here.
a.r.n’s last blog post..The New Macbook…
October 24th, 2008 at 5:30 am
THAT girl — Me too! Three years of algebra and aced every year. But now? I started to panic when I saw the n’s!
absepa — I wanted to run away, too. But I felt like my husband was counting on me and I didn’t want to let him down. I was surprised that it came back to me, but just barely. I thought the same thing you did; that if I had kids, I would have encountered these equations more recently. Tell your husband you need him to be your calculator!
Happy Hour Sue — Funny! Dancing beats math any day.
Condo Blues — Thanks for the hilarious image. I’m guessing your fuzzy dog has already taken over your house. Beware!
Babs beetle — Yes, yes! A cat will do! Erase all memory of algebra and forget I ever mentioned it.
Joe — I feel vindicated. Yes, it must be one of those does not equal thingamabobs. You’re as sure as Ivory is pure!
Jenn — I did all the same things. And as some have suggested, it’s easier to see when you cancel out the 3n’s. Minus 3 cannot equal plus 3. So there. We’re geniuses!
Jamie — I try not to do math, but that’s why I lost my chops. In college, I excelled at calculus, which is bizarre. For some reason, I loved it. That, and trigonometry. But now? I can’t even add and subtract in my head. I’ve gone rusty.
DataPlus Data Entry — Ah, but you didn’t have to admit it! No one would be the wiser!
Jaffer (Ronald) — Wow, you get extra credit for showing all your work. But see, now I have another headache and you get an F now. Don’t give the teacher headaches. Puppies!
Curtis — Tell me about it. Although I started to have convulsions, I was pleased some knowledge came back to me. But then I stressed for hours over whether I was forgetting something major. I feel better now.
Beth — Yeah, could be. But I think she already argued with the student that it was solvable. We suspect it was a typo in the text book and she didn’t check the student’s work. Geez, your teacher was arrested? Well, I guess they’re people too. Stupid people, but people nonetheless.
Jaffer (Ronald) — You will never live that down. Ronald the Egghead.
Regan — OK, all I saw was a bunch of letters and now you’ve made your auntie woozie. Good luck on your quiz! And tell your teacher that the old farts over here can still do math all these years later!
Blog Bloke — So one can actually use algebra in real life? What a concept! I am starting to wonder if the teacher is trying to get the student to “prove” there is no answer. I’m curious how it turns out. If I find out, I’ll post back.
Kelly — Don’t sweat! Think of puppies! Thanks so much for the shout-out. You put me in very good company. I’m blushing!
muskrat — I’m more and more sure of myself with all these responses. I was afraid some Einstein would show up and tell me what a lughead I am. Oh, you reminded me. Bill’s daughter is doing 9th grade algebra. So even if there’s some insane way this equation works, it wouldn’t be taught at her level. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.
Jenny — Mmmmm, Johnny Depp. Holding a puppy and eating cotton candy. All better now!
Shadowsrider — Excellent! I’m glad an engineer agrees with me. (pats self on head)
carol at A Second Cup — Oh, don’t make me look up who invented algebra. Obviously someone with too much time on his hands and an evil streak.
Richard Catto — I cannot figure out why the teacher would argue this, unless he or she it trying to teach the value in banging your head against the wall for two hours, which of course is futile and hurts a lot.
Swubird — If that’s what he or she was trying to do, she better have a good explanation for doing it. Dumb, dumb, dumb!
Gandalf and Grayson — Two smart kitties, you are. Seriously, if food isn’t a reward for doing math, someone else can do it!
a.r.n. — Nope. I even asked Dave to read it back to me as he verbally confirmed it with his coworker. But aces for going ahead and working another problem. I suspect you are one of the few people here who likes math? Thanks for popping over. You’ll find Jaffer (Maniar) hanging out in The Drawer doing math, posing as other people, etc. I’m thinking of putting him on salary.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:00 am
Okay! We’ll actually be getting to the equations on both sides after our quiz. Maybe on Tuesday.
Jaffer - On your math comment, I actually knew what you were talking about. I didn’t think school actually made you smart. =D
October 24th, 2008 at 6:18 am
I see Jaffer, et al, arrived at the same answer I did. But to be honest, I cheated and went to algebra.com after I hit the roadblock he pointed out. Funny, though, algebra.com said the answer was “0″. But, at least I was able to job my memory and work it out to the conclusion that it’s an invalid equation.
Oh, and it’s way too damn early in the morning for that kind of brain activity.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Oh, that’s easy! The value of “n” equals magenta! Really, it does, I looked it up….
October 24th, 2008 at 7:29 am
This is just the sort of thing that made me hunch down in the back of Algebra I AND II writing desperately bad poems about unrequited love.
I passed by the skin of my teeth, requited the love, and took Geometry my junior year. No calculus for this girl senior year; I skipped math altogether and wrote bad poetry in the library instead.
Shieldmaiden96’s last blog post..Weekly Curiosities
October 24th, 2008 at 8:28 am
@Kathy: I’m going to take a wild stab and guess that you’ve also forgotten the formula for calculating ?n, which is n(n+1)/2 (the arithmetic series).
Richard Catto’s last blog post..Driving Miss Daisy
October 24th, 2008 at 8:31 am
I agree with you, Kathy. No solution. And I believe my eyeball fell out of my head trying to figure it out. If you happen to run into my eyeball, please send it home.
Elle’s last blog post..Four Foods on Friday
October 24th, 2008 at 8:47 am
BTW, this is the second blog I read yesterday that had algebra in it. Only humorbloggers can make mathematics funny. All this algebra talk makes me really want some pie.
Joe’s last blog post..Crotchety’s Collosal Chocolate Candy Contest
October 24th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I had a teacher like that, who insisted that THIS was the answer when it was obvious the answer in the back of the book was wrong…sadly, she could never PROVE her “solution”. In this case, you can simplify even more so that:
3n - 3 = 3n + 3
becomes:
3n = 3n + 6
n = n + 2 …. which is absurd - because simplifying further gives us:
n-n = 2
too funny
0 = 2
Steve’s last blog post..Ovechkin
October 24th, 2008 at 9:03 am
@Regan: I love match puzzles
2x - 5 = -1
2x = 4
x = 2
6x + 7 = 26
6x = 19 ? should that have been 6x + 7 = 25?
x = 19/6
Simplify:
4n + 3n + n - 2
8n - 2 = 0
8n = 2
n = 2/8
n = 1/4
9k - 2k + 11k - 7 + 3
18k - 4 = 0
18k = 4
k = 4/18
k = 2/9
These right?
Steve’s last blog post..Ovechkin
October 24th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Oh…god I hate math! I have to admit that I am always struggling with it.
Emma in China’s last blog post..A Cambodian Couple cut their house into half because of divorce
October 24th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I’m past the headache, my head just exploded and left a bloody mess all over the place.
I hate algebra, I suck at algebra and the good thing about being out of school is I never have to do algebra again.
What time is it? Is it twelve o’clock somewhere?
lala’s last blog post..Cocoa Beach Surf Company
October 24th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Math is hard.
Daisy the Curly Cat’s last blog post..My Halloween Costume!
October 24th, 2008 at 9:47 am
@Regan - Oh ! Was that a Burn !
October 24th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Ok, based on your avitar… you clearly have too many cats.
Jeff’s last blog post..No, I’m not ignoring you
October 24th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I am impressed so much of your audience knows something about math. As a kid I associated math with bath and avoided it as much as I could. With the result that I stink at math today, and just stunk as a kid.
Dan Brantley’s last blog post..Knowing Where To Hit - The Value of Expertise
October 24th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I need to use my fingers to count. I have no idea what to use for an ‘n’.
Tiggy’s last blog post..10 Things You Didn’t Know About… Greenland
October 24th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Yea, there’s no real solution for that problem and even if you cook up some irrational value for ‘n’ it’s nothing that a high schooler should be seeing, unless they’re in a really high-up math course.
Algebra is fun!
Chris’s last blog post..Lost In Translation (10/18)
October 24th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Yeah. Like I can help you with math. Not likely. That’s why I majored in language “stuff”.
BTW, I know I’ve been away for a long time, but you look a bit different in your pic. Haircut?
Read through your recent posts. Thanks for the laughs! I needed a good laugh.
kp
kpasa’s last blog post..Yes, I dropped off the FACE of the EARTH!
October 24th, 2008 at 11:37 am
One time, when I went to Math camp…
band/Math camp
1. A strange mixture of hell and the best time of your life.
2. Where band/math geeks go to socialize, practice their algebra, practice their drill, have severe head pain, and generally improve their marching band/math skills.
Carla’s last blog post..Don’t be late
October 24th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Well, I’m not going to say anything that hasn’t already been said, but as someone with an extensive math background (probably TOO much - it was my minor in college), that problem is unsolvable.
If you really want, however, I’ll run it by my math faculty…
October 24th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Is it safe to come back yet? EEEECK NOOOOO!!!!
Cat where are you?
Babs - beetle’s last blog post..Diamonds. A girls best friend? - Part 2
October 24th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Steve - I don’t know. What we’re doing is a little easier. It’s actually super easy once you get the hang of it. =D
October 24th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
3n-3=5n+3-2n
3n=5n-2n
3n=3n
n=1
That’s the way I remember it–of course I went on to become an English major…
October 24th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Looking at this combination of numbers and letters immediately made me start sweating. I’m with Crotchety Joe: let’s talk about pie instead.
JD at I Do Things’s last blog post..Gus Does Things so I don’t have to
October 24th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I was great with numbers and figures in high school too, 20 some odd years ago! Great post and you got everyone thinking too. LOL
Preston’s last blog post..Why I Hate Public Bathrooms - Part 2 (The Funny Stuff)
October 24th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I get it because it just cancel each other out which meanxs the answer is never solvable
October 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Regan — Did you just zing Jaffer?
Lee — Yes, but you did it anyway and that makes you an egghead. Take it as a compliment!
BabaBooey — God, I thought you said “magnets.” Which didn’t make sense to me, but neither does “magenta.” Oh, my head hurts again. Remind me to never do another math post, will ya?
Shieldmaiden96 — At least you have bad poetry to show for your efforts now. That’s more than anyone can say for algebra, no?
Richard Catto — Huh? Wha? n squared plus n divided by 2? Stop hurting my head!!!
Elle — I shall look for your eyeball. Will you look for my brain matter? I think some leaked out when I wrote this.
Joe — I couldn’t agree with you more. Pie is the solution to all math problems.
Steve — I suspect that’s what she did. It takes a truly smart teacher to check the answers of his or her students, wouldn’t you think? Oh, man. People! Stop putting equations in your comments. My head’s gonna explode!
Steve — Listen, pal. I said no more equations! I’m not even looking at that, much less try to digest it, and you can’t make me.
Emma in China — You and most everyone else here. You’re in very good company.
lala — Yeah, I never thought I’d get asked to do algebra either. But now I went and confirmed to my husband that I know something about it. Stupid, stupid me.
Daisy the Curly Cat — Yes, but you can count your legs. I saw you do it on your blog today. So you are a little bit smart with math.
Jaffer — That girl needs a blog.
Jeff — I bet you think I really have more cats, but never talk about them for fear you will mock me mercilessly. You’ll never know.
Dan Brantley — Funny! That’s alright. Lots of us stink at lots of things and some of us just stink. What’s that smell?
Tiggy — n is for nevermind, just think of puppies and cotton candy.
Chris — I’m thrilled I was right about the equation. I did take the student’s grade level into consideration. I figured she’d never see weirdo numbers until college. Algebra was fun for me in school, but now? Not so much.
kpasa — That’s why we have two sides of the brain. One for math and one for everything else. If you think that picture is different, wait til you see the one I plan for Thanksgiving. Glad you stopped back and got caught up!
Carla — I cracked up loudly when I read your comment. Oh, please do write about that experience. I’m seeing lots of zits and braces.
Grant — A-ha! An expert among us. Yes, please do run it by a mathematics professor if you think of it. I ran it by an economist and he’s the one who thought perhaps irregular numbers might make it solvable, but even he was doubtful. Oh, and you’re an egghead. (And GO Phils! I’m sorry they lost their last game, but it ain’t over yet!)
Babs beetle — Oh, you’re so funny! Save yourself. Get in a happy place, curl up with a book and a warm kitty and forget this ever happened. I swear I’ll never post math again.
Regan — I think you need to hold an online class for those of us who’ve been away from math for more than 20 years. Can you swing that?
klc — Now, missy. Go back and check your work. You removed the -3 and the +3 from either side of the equation. Fatal error. Of course, math is easier if you just remove numbers that get in the way. English majors rule!
JD at I Do Things — Indeed. Pie solves all of life’s problems. Chocolate French Silk pie sounds like the perfect antidote to this post. (scribbles something pie-ish on shopping list)
Preston — I bet you’d be surprised at your residual math prowess. I couldn’t believe I even got an answer while still on the phone with my husband. It surprised me. Yes, this was a fun and thinking post. But I promise I won’t have very many more cerebral posts. I can’t take it.
brooke — Smarty pants! You’re probably learning this stuff right now, aren’t you?
October 24th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Stop, please, you are making my eyes bleed. I was not told there would be a math test.
Fancy’s last blog post..My kid is pretty cool, sometimes
October 24th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Kathy,
I just wanted you to know that you *really* cracked me up with this one! I’m going to show problem to Johanna and see what she comes up with
Hehe…
Ricardo Bueno’s last blog post..Social Media Is…
October 25th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I think my brain just leaked out of my ears.
Jay’s last blog post..Something special in the cheese department
October 26th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Fancy — If there’s going to be math here again (doubtful), I’ll at least make it a contest. Don’t be afraid to come back.
Ricardo Bueno — OK, but don’t be mad at me if her head explodes.
Jay — Oh no! More leakage! I’m laughing at your latest post. What’s with all the cheese posts these days?!
October 28th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Oh God. My eyes are bleeding.
October 28th, 2008 at 11:36 am
@Kathy: The Sigma (greek character that looks a bit like an E) didn’t display correctly. It’s also called Summation. So Sigma n = 1 + 2 + 3 + … + n = n ( n + 1 ) / 2. It’s one of those standard arithmetic series formulae that everyone ought to know. Don’t you know?
If you want to really do your head in, you can find lots of crazy math arithmetic series summation proofs by searching. Here’s two I found:
tinyurl dot com/5ff4sq
tinyurl dot com/6ravxj
I also hope you haven’t forgotten l’Hôpital, because that would be tragic. Haha.
Wikipedia article:
en.wikipedia dot org / wiki /LHopitals_rule
Richard Catto’s last blog post..Driving Miss Daisy
October 28th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
cardiogirl — Don’t worry. Math will never appear in The Junk Drawer again. Or I’ll be picking up brains and eyeballs again.
Richard Catto — Yes, yes, I got the sigma now. Thank God for Excel, right? OMG. I just went to those links. Induction? Now my eyes are bleeding! What are you doing to me? Oh, yeah. I started this.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
No i have an andvanced mind just like Regan s beware of our intellect
October 30th, 2008 at 6:13 am
brooke — I’m scairt!
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
If you work out the problem, you eventually come up with 0n=6 and that is impossible because 0n=0. the answer is undefined. OOps just noticed the date on this-guess we are a little slow with our reply (this is my son’s answer!) Yes-please no more math questions!!
November 2nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
karen — Tell your son he’s genius! And I swear, no more math. It’s not just that I don’t want to torture my readers. I don’t want to torture myself either. Algebra once every two decades is plenty for me.