I Promised No More Math, But….
computing September 20th, 2009
I don’t know why my family keeps sending me math questions to answer. Despite my protests that I don’t do math, my niece Amy sent me this equation and asked if I knew how to solve it.
x (.23) = x – 10
She actually knows the value of “x” because a site called Wolfram Alpha lets you enter all kinds of equations and it’ll give you the answer. If you want to compute the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix, head over there and check it out. Then shoot yourself because no one should want to know the eigen-anything of anything.
I suspect my niece hangs out at this site for fun, since she once took a college physics course for its entertainment value. I don’t know how she’s related to me. Me no do school for fun.
Anyway, Wolfram solves for “x,” but doesn’t tell you how to arrive at the answer.
There’s a Junk Drawer magnet and a pat on the head for anyone who can explain the method to find “x.”
Remember to show your work.
Go!
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September 20th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
*Raises hand nervously* “Please Miss, can I be excused?”
babs – beetle´s last blog ..Why won’t they TALK to me?
September 20th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
There’s something terribly wrong with people who do math for fun.
absepa´s last blog ..A Culture of Lies
September 20th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
49 years ago I might have been able to do that equation and show my work…now? Not a chance in hell. Sorry to let you down, Mrs. Leslie
Grace´s last blog ..Sunday Serenade
September 20th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
My mother taught me it wasn’t polite to show my eigen. Sorry.
Buggys´s last blog ..Eradication!
September 20th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
5x -2(x-2) = 6 -2(-3x-3)
5x -2x +4 = 6 +6x +6 (use the distributive property)
3x + 4 = 6x + 12 (collect terms)
4 = 3x + 12 (subtract 3x from both sides to get all x on one side)
-8 = 3x (subtract 12 from both sides to get only x on one side)
-8/3 = x (divide both sides by 3 to get x by itself)
Check
5(-8/3) -2((-8/3)-2) = 6 – 2(-3(-8/3)-3)
-40/3 -2(-8/3-6/3) = 6 – 2(8-3)
-40/3 -2(-14/3) = 6 -2(5)
-40/3 + 28/3 = 6 – 10
-12/3 = -4 (yes)
Next.
September 20th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Geakz said exactly what I was going to say. Really.
My head hurts just reading this post and as much as I want a Junk Drawer magnet there is no way I’m going to get one using math. I don’t do math either. When I met with daughter’s first grade teacher at the meet and greet a few weeks ago she mentioned that daughter would have ten minutes of math homework each night. I broke out in a sweat because I don’t think I will be able to help her without a calculator. It’s really sad I know.
Jen´s last blog ..Blogging 101
September 20th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
So I sent The girl to the site and now she is more confused then she was before and I am looking in the yellow pages for a tutor, oh and just to let you know how I will know what one is a good tutor, I will ask for the answer to “x” LOL
September 20th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I am a goat.
And this is why the publicist is a goat farmer. She can count kids and she can figure out how many teats I have but that is it.
She doesn’t do physics either…..
Pricilla´s last blog ..The Kids’ Day
September 20th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
If I was allowed to go to school, I’ll bet I would already know the answer.
Daisy the Curly Cat´s last blog ..Sunday Comics with Daisy!
September 20th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
You should send your math questions my husband. He’s now running “Nighttime Mathematics Radio” via his website. You can tweet him anytime at @nightmathradio.
pussreboots´s last blog ..Review: You Are Such a One
September 20th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I took physics and calculus in college; YAWN.
But this still makes my head hurt, because that was 25 years ago.
Kathy, were we bad blog readers, that you had to punish us? i am very very very sorry.
Please don’t make my head hurt on Sunday again.
Chris Casey´s last blog ..I hate our Cable provider.
September 20th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Babs Beetle — Yes, you may be excused from class. Can you go clap the erasers, though? They’re filthy.
absepa — I know. I can think of a thousand other things I wanna do and none of them involve rubbing my temples and taking two aspirin.
Grace — Don’t worry. I didn’t try too hard before I gave up and told my niece to never send me math again.
Buggys — Great advice. People are showing off their eigens way too much these days.
Geakz — OK, but your work is giving me a headache because it’s not the right answer. How do you do this equation with a division on one side and subtraction on the other? Your examples don’t show that. Or are you just messing with my head?
Jen — Don’t worry, I wouldn’t be able to help a child either. It’s the sort of material you know because you have to know it and get tested on it. And then give or take 25 years and it’s all forgotten. You have my deepest sympathies.
The Mind of a Mom — Ha! That’d be an awesome test question. Go for it!
Pricilla — Don’t worry your goaty little head. I wouldn’t expect you to answer it. Your publicist, though? Doesn’t she want to try even a little bit?
Daisy the Curly Cat — I bet you would too! And you have twice as many fingers, er…claws, to count on!
pussreboots — What a hoot! That’s so neat there’s a site dedicated to helping out with math. I shall tweet him!
Chris Casey — I actually liked calculus (and algebra), but it loses its luster after so many years. No, you weren’t bad readers. I was a bad blogger! I haven’t posted anything new for a week and this was all I could come up with. I’m the one who’s sorry.
September 20th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
OK, so I guess I’m a geek. I love math, and I sat there and looked at the problem till it made sense. They wrote it funny just to confuse you (at least I think so!) So, here goes….
x(.23) =x-10 really is the same thing as .23x =x-10
Subtract x from both sides and you get -.77x= -10
Divide both sides by -.77 and you get
x=1000/77
I checked it on the calculator and it works, and I think it’s right! Now, WHY in the world you’d need to know that, I don’t know. But there you go, my brain is full of useless information for your pleasure.
September 20th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I was absent on the day they ’splained that. I have a note from my mother. Srsly.
Barb – WillThink4Wine´s last blog ..Hairdate Vintage, or “A day at the beach with the girls”
September 20th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Kathy – I don’t understand how you end up with -.77x after you subtract x from both sides.
Dede´s last blog ..Gitar
September 20th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I dunno. math makes my gag reflex kick in, real bad-like
jennyonthespot´s last blog ..Office Max + Adopt-A-Classroom = A Day Made Better!
September 20th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Here’s my version:
.23x = x-10
Balance equation by adding 10 to each side:
10+.23x = x-10+10
which equals:
10.23x = x
divide both by x and x = 10.23
Proof:
10.23 multiplied by .23=2.3529
10.23 – 10 = .23
Which if you set your calculator to two decimals places is the same a 2.3529.
Wolfram Alfalfa is dealing with statistical variances.
Wolffram Alfalfa is wrong.
Trust me, I’m a accountant for TARP.
GoingLikeSixty´s last blog ..Saturday meme on Sunday because I did Sunday meme on Saturday.
September 20th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
yeh sure!!!
September 20th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Dede:
It’s all about putting the numbers and symbols in the same dress code. “Two decimal points” is kind of banker’s suits for them (’cuz it looks like money…$5.33!) Simple fractions, like 2/3 or 5/8, is business casual. Think pie charts. Whole numbers or integers, is your most comfy stretchy jeans: really easy to deal with and no one cares as much if you get mustard on the answer.
The important thing is that all the numbers feel better and mingle more easily with each other if they aren’t wearing something really out of place. Yeah, your prom dress is bitchin’ rad, but you won’t make as many friends at soccer practice when you wear it.
So, when dealing with something like “.23x” it helps to think of plain x in terms that look more like .23x, like “1.00x” (or x times 1.00, which is the same as plain x). See how the 1.00 goes with the .23? They’re both wearing pantyhose and can bond in the ladies room over control top vs. sheer toe.
If you subtract 1.00x from .23x, you can just look at the number parts, or .23 – 1.00, which equals .77.
Hope that helps!
Louise´s last blog ..Greetings from London
September 20th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Sorry, that should be NEGATIVE .77! I got the numbers dressed in grey flannel suits, but then gave poor -.77 a Supercuts hairdo. Big no no. Never forget proper grooming on the final details like the +/- sign. Fortunately, .64, a really close friend of -.77, will take him aside and give him the “Dude, you need a real barber now. We’re not in college anymore.” talk.
Louise´s last blog ..Greetings from London
September 20th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
The answer is “pie.” That’s right, “pie.” Not the goofy symbol, pi. Pie.
Have a piece of pie right now and you all will know that I’m right. Pie is never wrong.
September 20th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Whoa, now I’ve gone and made poor -.77 a guy with a barber AND put him in control top pantyhose, bonding in the ladies room! Math is hard enough without crossdressing numbers. (Which, by the way, is what is happening with eigenvalues of matricies. Lots and LOTS of crossing, if you know what I mean, wink wink, nudge nudge.)
Which all goes to show that there’s a lot more to all this than meets the eye. Ahem. But if you can just look past all that and see the inner beauty of each number, there’s a whole world of excitement waiting for you!
Louise´s last blog ..Greetings from London
September 20th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I’m sorry, why is this hard? This is rudimentary algebra.
Put all the x’s on one side of the equation and the non variables on the other then divide by the factor on the variable (doesn’t really require steps):
-.77x=-10 so x=-10/-0.77= 12.99
I don’t deserve a magnet for that. I’ll wait until you ask me a challenging math question.
Stephanie Barr´s last blog ..For The Mother: Foresight and the Future
September 20th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Oh, this is easy. See, you stick your right foot in, then you stick your right foot out. Then, you stick your left foot in and you shake it all about.
Wait, what?
September 20th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Your blog has left me confused and unsure of my self worth. It’s like 10th grade with Mr. W all over again!
Tracy´s last blog ..SlimCado, A Review
September 20th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I just checked it. Stephanie Barr is right. And she’s also right in saying that it’s rudimentary Algebra. Stephen Wolfram, the person behind Wolfram Alpha and Mathematica is doing a LOT for scientific research. The corporation’s software speed up research work by 10 times or more, and as you just saw, the site helps students of all ages. Don’t say Wolfram Alfalfa, it’s just wrong!
I have a research degree in Theoretical Physics, by the way.
September 20th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Um….I don’t want to show off, so I’ll pass on answering it. Yeah…that’s it..I’m shy.
Sniffie and the Florida Furkids´s last blog ..Easy Like Sunday Morning – Ellie
September 20th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
x (.23) = x – 10
x(.23) – x = x – 10 – x by subtraction property of equality
x(.23) – x = -10 + 0 by substitution
(-0.77)x = -10 combine like terms
(-0.77)x/(-0.77) = 10/(-0.77) by division prop. of equality
x = -10/(-0.77) by substitution
x = 12.987
Let’s check the answer:
(12.987)(.23) = 12.987 – 10
2.987 = 2.987
Easy Peasy!! Best of luck!
Kelly´s last blog ..Vintage Button Stacks Set No. 3 . Old Country Collection
September 20th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
OK I read all your comments and now I have a head ache! My son just finished his AS and his last class(online and at home) was algebra. I had a head ache then too!
redkathy´s last blog ..Have a Dagwood
September 20th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
So I am guessing if your neice is not in my finite math class since she hung out in college physics but my class is clearly haunting me in your post.
If others had not already given you the right work i would do it for you.
September 21st, 2009 at 12:42 am
I guess I get the email from your subscription service a bit later than most. I saw the question, solved it, and raced over here to answer. But I see you already have it – 12.987012987 etc. Kelly’s method is the most straight forward, I believe. Send her the magnet!
Will´s last blog ..Tired of The Health Insurance Mess?
September 21st, 2009 at 5:11 am
Kathy Bryson — OK, you’re the first comment I’m responding to this morning. I sat down with a cup of coffee and a pad of paper and a pen. I finally understand it, but I don’t know why I struggled with it for so long, even yesterday. Thank you!
Barb — I believe you.
Dede — That’s the part I didn’t get either. Until now. The “1″ is assumed when you say x, because x*1 is still “x.” Does that help?
jennyonthespot — So you’re not the one helping your kids with their math homework then?
GoingLikeSixty — Statistical variance? Huh? Me no get it.
grannyann — I know. Come back next post. I already promised last time I wouldn’t have math, and I lied. But now I think I’m serious.
Louise — Your comments cracked me the hell up! And, yeah, I’ve heard .64 is a really nice guy. .34 said so.
BabaBooey — I like your answer. It tastes good and doesn’t give me a headache.
Stephanie Barr — OK, then. Trust me, there will be no more math.
April — LMAO.
Tracy — I’m sorry. I don’t feel so good about myself either. Let’s not do math again, shall we?
whizzziebhiz — Yes, but I just could not for the life of me figure it out. For some reason, having multiplication on one side and subtraction on the other messed me up. That WolframAlpha site is pretty awesome, actually. I’m glad my niece brought it to my attention. Hadn’t heard of it before.
Sniffie and the Florida Furkids — Har!
Kelly — The “combine like terms” messed me up, but I get it now. It just didn’t seem to me you could do it that way. I had to substitute with a known value of “x” to get it. I need more coffee. Math at this hour is criminal.
redkathy — Believe me, I did too. For some reason, this equation annoyed me to no end.
Melissa k — Wait. What’s finite math? Is there infinite math?
Will — I liked her description, too. Anyone who got it should get a magnet, and those of us who didn’t can just go in a corner and lick our wounds.
September 21st, 2009 at 6:03 am
since there’s no x on my calculator I’m lost. I’m lucky I can do the math to figure out my checkbook.
ann´s last blog ..Twists, turns and tied up in knots
September 21st, 2009 at 6:38 am
Ah, thanks Kathy; that does help!
September 21st, 2009 at 7:18 am
I’m sorry… This is beyond my capabilities. I only teach kindergarten. Now, if you’d like to know how many monkeys are jumping on the bed, I could probably help you out.
CatLadyLarew´s last blog ..Home Security for BadAss Bloggers
September 21st, 2009 at 7:24 am
I’ll be out in the hallway with Babs, cleaning erasers and (as Bababooey suggested) eating a nice piece of pie.
For the people who understand this equation: good for you. To the remaining 90% of the population, this is like reading Arabic.
Fun post, Kathy. I never knew there was something called an eigenwhatever. And I enjoyed reading most of the responses.
PIE!
JD at I Do Things´s last blog ..I Cut Hair so you don’t have to
September 21st, 2009 at 7:26 am
Kelly’s answer was correct, of course, but here is a simpler-to-write solution:
.23x = x – 10
.23x – x = -10 (move the x to the left of the =, which changes it to a negative)
-.77x = -10 (subtract -x from .23x)
.77x = 10 (negatives cancel out)
x = 10/.77 (divide both sides by .77 – so .77x/.77 = x)
x = 12.987
September 21st, 2009 at 8:05 am
This post gave me an unpleasant flashback of Ms. Camiolo, my algebra teacher for I and II, sitting at her desk writing out the method for solving with her red pen on a piece of yellow scrap paper. It was like watching monks illuminate scripture. Beautiful, elegant, and completely beyond me.
Shieldmaiden1196´s last blog ..Conversations I Hope You Never Have
September 21st, 2009 at 8:16 am
Have you been painting with your windows closed again? Kathy, read my fingers… NO MATH ON BLOGS! I already spend way too much time making excuses for why I can’t help my kids with their homework. I don’t need that here too. Got it?
Jeff´s last blog ..Le Lievre
September 21st, 2009 at 9:10 am
I had a brief moment where I thought I could figure it out– that my brain was hearkening back to the days of solving for X.
But I realize, alas… no.
This is why I had “Stats for Poets” in college.
Jenn Thorson´s last blog ..How to Set Up Your Home Entertainment System, Ocean’s 11 Style
September 21st, 2009 at 9:24 am
let me try this one out:
x(.23)= x-10
0,23x=x-10
-0,77x=-10
x=-10/-0,77
x=12,987
is that true?
mytheory´s last blog ..Content is the Reason Why I come back to your Blog
September 21st, 2009 at 9:44 am
I’m pretty sure it was already solved above, but since I love when I know an answer, here goes:
x (.23) = x – 10
.23x = x – 10
now add (-.23x + 10) to each side, ie
.23x – .23x +10 = x – 10 -.23x +10
10 = -1.23x
x = 10/(-1.23) = -8.1301 (rounded to four places)
checking
.23(-8.1301) = 1.8699 = -(-8.1301.43) – 10
x = 1.8699 ! (rounded to four places)
~ Steve
steve, trade show guru´s last blog ..I Hate Upgrading… but I did it.
September 21st, 2009 at 9:50 am
For me, it would involved just randomly plugging in numbers until I accidentally or fortuitously stumbled on the correct one. Well, I should clarify that I find a number that works, but is not necessarily the one they are going for.
Chris@TheSnackHound´s last blog ..Simply The Best Chocolate Frosting Ever
September 21st, 2009 at 9:55 am
oops!
Where the “edit” button when you need it!
I got the wrong answer.
x – .23x does not equal -1.23x…
ARGHHHHHH…
I guess I should look at the other answers first.
x=12.987
steve, trade show guru´s last blog ..I Hate Upgrading… but I did it.
September 21st, 2009 at 10:02 am
I think this has been solved, but I need the practice for helping a friend’s daughter. She’s already made my brain hurt with some of her algebra questions.
x (.23) = x – 10
x (.23) -x = – 10 (subtract x from both sides)
-.23x + x = 10 (multiply everything by -1)
-.23 + 1x = 10 (show how I’m going to simplify left side)
.77x = 10 (simplified left side)
x = 12.987 (divide both sides by .77)
Now I’ll go see if anyone else got what I got.
————-
Apparently a few did – though we all worked it a tiny bit differently.
Wendy´s last blog ..I’m Taking it Outside
September 21st, 2009 at 11:47 am
Brasil:
x (.23) = x – 10
x(.23) – x = x – 10 – x
x(.23) – x = -10 + 0 b
(-0.77)x = -10
(-0.77)x/(-0.77) = 10/(-0.77)
x = -10/(-0.77)
x = 12.987
(12.987)(.23) = 12.987 – 10
2.987 = 2.987
September 21st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I read all the comments and now my head really hurts. How did .23 turn into .77 ????? How can you multiply by x when you don’t know what x is and then come up with a totally new number. Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Grace´s last blog ..I’d like to offer you something amusing
September 21st, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Grace: When you subtract 1 from .23, you get -.77
I’m with the folks that got 12.987
Basic algebra. Don’t let the decimal fool you.
Chris@Maugeritaville´s last blog ..Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
September 21st, 2009 at 1:48 pm
This gives me a headache! Even looking at the different answers doesn’t make sense to me. I’d feel bad except I really see no use for this stuff, at least not in my life so I’m not too worried that I couldn’t figure it out. I never did do well with algebra.
Karen, author of “My Funny Dad, Harry”´s last blog ..Wonderful Weekend–Except for Sunday Football
September 21st, 2009 at 2:04 pm
The original equation I provided was for programming my multi-media remote control. Sorry for the mix up.
September 21st, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Wouldn’t it be something like:
x(.23) = x-10
Then you get both X’s on one side
.23 = 2x – 10
Add 10 to both sides.
10.23 = 2x
Divide by 2.
5.115 = x.
I’m not sure if that’s right, but hey, that’s the type of stuff I’m learning in school. :/
September 21st, 2009 at 3:09 pm
You really know how to make a guy look bad!
September 21st, 2009 at 4:48 pm
ann — See now, if they would have just built calculators with an “x” button, how much less we’d all be annoyed with math. Little secret — my husband does our checkbook. If I did it, well, you can just guess.
Dede — All I know is what 1x means. Seems I’ve gotten dumber since my last algebra post.
CatLadyLarew — Oh, bless your heart teaching kindergarteners. I’m guessing you are exhausted at the end of every day. All those monkeys to count!
JD at I Do Things — Another secret — I was always asked to clap erasers outside because I was one of the most trustworthy kids in class. Ha! So no one explained to us what an eigenvector was. I’m thankful. Aren’t you?
Steve — I’m telling you, it’s he damn x thing on the left that gives me a migraine. I never thought you could just cancel them out like that. This equation really bothers me, but thanks for your solution.
Shieldmaiden1196 — What a fond memory. Wait. It was fond, right?
Jeff — My apologies, Jeff. Even if I’m tempted in the future, there will be no more “solve for x” directives. I’m done with math!
Jenn Thorson — Would you believe I got through college without needing to take statistics? I don’t know how I pulled that off. Everyone was mad at me for missing it. Then again, I had calculus and they didn’t, so I called it even.
mytheory — Yes, and congrats!
Trade Show Guru Steve — Did you just cheat?
Chris at TheSnackHound — That’s why multiple choice tests were so awesome. You had a 25% chance of getting something right at least.
Wendy — You did! And of all the explanations, I still had to mull over the so-called easier ones for a bit of time. I’m hopeless.
Hospedagem — I like how you did that. In fact, I think that’s how I approached it in the beginning, but still didn’t get it. Sigh.
Grace — The .77 comes from the difference between 1.0 and .23, if that’s any help at all. But don’t sweat it. We’re all in pain over this.
Chris at Maugeritaville — The decimal fooled me.
Karen — I don’t have use for it either. That’s what WolframAlpha is for, apparently. Thank God for that.
Geakz — Wouldn’t surprise me.
Regan — Close, but no cigar.
Document Scanning Services — Get in line behind me.
September 21st, 2009 at 7:50 pm
It’s quite simple. You compute the ratio for the undulating hypothesis times the balance of the weight of 3 bananas versus the total amount of time it takes to find a set of keys you threw into the dumpster instead of the trash you had in your other hand.
Do I win??
kathryn´s last blog ..Say It Again
September 21st, 2009 at 9:15 pm
.23x=x-10
+10 +10
10+2.3x=x
-2.3x -2.3x
10=-1.3x
/1.3
x=7.692307692307 repeating
September 21st, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Clapping erasers sounds like fun. At our arithmetic (as it was called) lesson the teacher wrote an example out and told us to get on with our lesson. I asked how he had done a particular part of it and his answer? “If you didn’t understand it the first time, put your head down and go to sleep” He was NOT joking. He refused to explain anything a second time. I HATED arithmetic lessons!
September 21st, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Already got a magnet!
Na na na na nah!!!
: D
Ferd´s last blog ..Midtown Café & dessertery
September 21st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I got a 46% on my simple math exam in high school guess I can’t help although I’ve always wanted to know more.
Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com
Dorothy Stahlnecker´s last blog ..Vacations can be exhausting
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:05 am
x(.23)= x-10
Isolate x on one side of the equation- aka- subtract x from both sides:
x(.23)-x= -10
This can also be written as .23x-1x=-10
.23x-1x= -.77x
-.77x=-10
Divide both sides by -.77
x= -10/-.77
x= 12.987
Check your work by plugging in 12.997 for x.
Work checks out!
(That was actually kind of fun)
Jennifer Landsberger´s last blog ..#6 on the "Top Ten Countdown"
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:06 am
Hey Kathy!
Remember that post you did a while ago on “blog stalkers?” Yeah, I read it, then left without commenting. And then you go and put a math problem on here…can’t…resist…must…solve…
So I read through all the responses and I agree most with comment #13 from Kathy, only because the answer is in fraction form which is more accurate. The question didn’t specify to how many decimal places the answer should be in, so my instinct would be to keep it in a fraction, the most accurate form. This is how:
x(.23)=x-10
.23x=x-10
Now, get rid of the decimal by multiplying both sides by 100, like so:
100(.23x)=100(x-10)
distribute…
23x=100x-1000
(isn’t it much nicer dealing with whole numbers?)Now subtract 100x from each side…
23x-100x=100x-100x-1000
-77x=-1000
divide both sides by -77 to isolate x…
x=-1000/-77
the negatives cancel, so you are left with
x=1000/77
In decimals, that would be 12.98701299 or maybe something even longer- I’m limited by my calculator’s display window length. This may seem like splitting hairs but it could make the difference if this equation were pivotal in launching a rocket to Mars. Or something like that. So there you have it, one of your stalkers is exposed, and she is a geek.
Emily´s last blog ..One Year
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:06 am
kathryn — Yes, that’s correct. So did you dumpster dive to retrieve the bananas? Fruit is so expensive these days.
Karen — Um, no. Not according to WolframAlpha, nor all the smartie pants people above you.
Babs Beetle — It is fun, mostly because if you get picked to do it you are a teacher’s pet and that makes you special. It’s no wonder you didn’t like arithmetic. Your teacher was mean and possibly the worst teacher to walk the planet. How you supposed to learn anything that way?
Ferd — Dude! And I believe that’s “Neener neener neeeeeener!”
Dorothy Stahlnecker — Well, you won’t get any better here. More than half of us have no idea either.
Jennifer Landsberger — See, this is the part I get stuck on, and I don’t know why my brain just wouldn’t have thought of that: “This can also be written as .23x-1x=-10
.23x-1x= -.77x.” I like your approach. It looks the easiest.
Emily — OK, so the only way you’re going to comment is if I put math on the blog? You realize how mad that’s gonna make everybody, right? I was going to ask if you are a nerd, asking about decimal places, but then I see you already admitted you’re a geek. Close enough.
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 am
What the F Kathy? Writers don’t do math.
(Head explodes and brain matter litters the monitor and keyboard. Mr. C yells from the basement, “What was that noise?”)
cardiogirl´s last blog ..If we’re gonna be friends, don’t close your eyes and raise your eyebrows when you answer my questions
September 22nd, 2009 at 9:01 am
Math? Phooey!
The Hawg!´s last blog ..Yay for The Boy!
September 22nd, 2009 at 9:02 am
Most ironic part of post for me: “If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!” If I weren’t already a subscriber, I’d run away, quickly.
unfinishedrambler´s last blog ..Agatha Christie In Music: Sublime? …er…well, not always
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
I got it right, really I did.
carol at A Second Cup´s last blog ..The Magic of HomeMade Bread: A Second Cup Recipe Suggestion
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I’m leaving this post and I’m taking my ball with me!
Bobbi´s last blog ..My Dog the Rock Star
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
My 13 yo homeschooled son says:
x(.23)=x-10
.23x-x=-10 (restate)
-.77x=-10 (subtract x from both sides)
x=12.987 (divide both sides by -.77)
He says this is 7th grade math.
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:23 pm
DH was thrilled you stopped by his new website.
pussreboots´s last blog ..Review: The Case of the Climbing Cat
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
You lost me at eigenvalues… erf.
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Okey doke… It’s really simple algebra, which is NOT an oxymoron. (George Bush was an oxymoron.) Anyhoo…
x(.23)=x-10
Now add 10 to each side to isolate x. (Awww… Poor x.)
That gives you
.23x+10=x
Now you subtract .23x to each side and get
10=x-.23x which is just like saying 10= .77x
Now you divide each side by .77 (isolating x for real this time) and get x=10 divided by .77 which is 12.987
I’m taking my bow now! Sorry– I’m the ultimate nerd.
Leah Rubin´s last blog ..In Case You Missed It
September 22nd, 2009 at 6:03 pm
The other day I pulled a stupid and had to redo my blog. If my last posts are not showing up in my feed please come back and re-subscribe. thanks
grannyann´s last blog ..A Dogs Prayer
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Oh man! and this is a humor blog… I blame the politicians in Washington for making the general populace so humorless that we are now blogging about math.
Carry on… ;0P
Michelle Gartner´s last blog ..Hometown Story ~ An Early Marilyn Monroe Film
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:30 am
Cardiogirl — I’m sorry. You’re right. Point noted. Swear, no more math!
The Hawg! — Says you, me and mostly everyone else.
unfinishedrambler — Ha! I would too. Not a whole lot of enjoyment here, except for the math experts in the crowd.
carol at A Second Cup — I believe you.
Bobbi — I deserved that.
The Mother — It may be 7th grade math, but you can tell how long half the people here have been out of 7th grade.
pussreboots — I’m bummed because you’re on Pacific coast time and I’ll probably never get there when stuff is happening, but I want to, because it sounds like a blast and I just might learn something.
Heidi at trulyengaging — I didn’t even bother looking those words up, and I’m still not!
Leah Rubin — Funny! Yeah, poor “x,” no one ever knowing who he is and always isolating him. Of course, he has good company with “y” in certain equations. So there’s that. Thanks for playing!
grannyann — I see your posts, but when I click Home, I get an error (jut an FYI).
Michelle Gartner — Actually, you can blame writer’s block in this case.
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:27 am
x = .23x + 10
x + 10 = .23x
.23x – x = 10
-.77x = 10
x = – 10/.77
x = -12.99
honeypiehorse´s last blog ..Who do you trust?
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 am
OMG!!!!! MATH!!!! Looking at that equation took me back to my 11th grade Trig class….not a place I wanted to be this morning.
Roschelle´s last blog ..Becoming a Pro Blogger
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:46 am
Not adding to the sums – but it is so strange that we speak the same language and yet in Britain it is always referred to as mathematics or maths. First school tend to use the word sums.
Polly´s last blog ..World population
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:51 am
Now this is the most original way I’ve seen to get people to do your homework..
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
.23x – x-10
.23x -x = -10
-.77x = -10
divide both equation by -.77
then x= 12.99
i bet some has d same answer with me, this is the correct one!!!
Chip´s last blog ..I’m having a Credit Crunch!
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:28 pm
The approach taken by Kathy is the correct on e and the result is just: x=1000/77
Please do not try to compute it unless you are in a Physics class where you need an approximate value.
Wordpress Blog Design´s last blog ..Upgrading to Wordpress 2.8 Problems
September 23rd, 2009 at 10:55 pm
I’d give it a go, Kathy, but I can’t stop laughing at cardiogirl’s comment.
And I lied…I wouldn’t give it a go…I suck bean curd cakes when it comes to numbers. Argh.
earthtoholly´s last blog ..Black Acorn
September 28th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Does it have anything to do with the X-Factor?
October 1st, 2009 at 3:19 am
Maths Maths Maths!!
I aced it in school every year. Loved Geometry class!
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
You have to be kidding! Like you, math and I aren’t friends. We aren’t even on speaking terms. After 5th grade, I can’t help my children with math homework. Baby girl is now in the 5th grade, and her time is just about up!
LaTonya´s last blog ..I Don’t Run
October 28th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
It finds the line for the equation (kinda complicated) and uses this to work it out. Sorry to be so vague.
alex´s last blog ..Top 15 ways of building backlinks