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  • #26
    When was the idea of binary invented? Does it predate the early computers of the 1940's? I wonder if Babbage had anything to do with it? He designed several mechanical computers (lots of metal gears) in the 1800's. Also, if I am not mistaken, some of the concepts for early computers were pioneered in mechanical looms, but I don't know if that had anything to do with binary.

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    • #27
      The binary number system was invented in the 1600s by Gottfried Leibniz and he used it in a very early calculating machine. So yes, it was invented to use in computers. Makes sense when you think of the on (1) and (0) nature of binary.

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      • #28
        I should look up Gottfried Leibniz. Sounds like an interesting person.

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        • #29
          Were the Beatles right when they sang "one and one and one is three"? I would understand if they said "plus"..
          Gonna change my evil ways...one of these days

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          • #30
            Maybe they were thinking pregnancy?

            OK, Mathy, here's one for you. I am a convener for a committee. One committee member is in Lexington, KY, one is in Wabash, Indiana, one is in Bloomington, Indiana and one is in West Lafayette, IN (and that would be me). So no one has to drive too far for the meeting, I'm willing to find a room in a library or ask to borrow a room from a church in a town equidistant from every member. How do we find the central point among all those places?
            “A sinner can always repent, but stupid is forever.”
            Billy Sunday

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            • #31
              Originally posted by Coolwater View Post
              Maybe they were thinking pregnancy?

              OK, Mathy, here's one for you. I am a convener for a committee. One committee member is in Lexington, KY, one is in Wabash, Indiana, one is in Bloomington, Indiana and one is in West Lafayette, IN (and that would be me). So no one has to drive too far for the meeting, I'm willing to find a room in a library or ask to borrow a room from a church in a town equidistant from every member. How do we find the central point among all those places?
              An area map, a pen and a ruler. Careful that you don't end up with a pentagram connecting them. Don't think you want that kind of gathering
              Gonna change my evil ways...one of these days

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              • #32
                Originally posted by mathpiglet View Post

                Watch yourself, Kat. You might do permanent damage to your tongue.
                Not likely, I've had a lot of practice thhhhpt'ing!
                May The Winds Be With You, while I'm searchin' for my lost shaker of salt. Makin' for the Trades on the outside. Lookin' for the Southern Cross. (J.Buffett 77/74)
                "Yeah, It's all fun and games until somebody gets Cursed," Sheriff Jack Carter ~ Eureka.

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                • #33
                  LOL!!!
                  That's what we did, Hap. If the towns we're starting from weren't at such varying distances, that might work better.
                  “A sinner can always repent, but stupid is forever.”
                  Billy Sunday

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                  • #34
                    Originally posted by Kat View Post

                    ...I've had a lot of practice thhhhpt'ing!
                    That's what he said

                    Gonna change my evil ways...one of these days

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                    • #35
                      Originally posted by Coolwater View Post
                      Maybe they were thinking pregnancy?

                      OK, Mathy, here's one for you. I am a convener for a committee. One committee member is in Lexington, KY, one is in Wabash, Indiana, one is in Bloomington, Indiana and one is in West Lafayette, IN (and that would be me). So no one has to drive too far for the meeting, I'm willing to find a room in a library or ask to borrow a room from a church in a town equidistant from every member. How do we find the central point among all those places?
                      This is actually similar to a question I put on the grade 10 exam. Put a grid over the map and locate the three locations. Draw a triangle using the three locations as the vertices of the triangle, and then find the circumcenter of the triangle by finding the equations of the three perpendicular bisectors of the sides of the triangles. Then find the point of intersection of the three lines. A tool like Geogebra will do all the hard work for you.

                      http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/EMAT6680F...gnment%204.htm

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                      • #36
                        " ...find the circumcenter of the triangle by finding the equations of the three perpendicular bisectors of the sides of the triangles." Dear God. Canadian children are savants.
                        What if it's four places? Same thing with a square?
                        “A sinner can always repent, but stupid is forever.”
                        Billy Sunday

                        Comment


                        • #37
                          Originally posted by Coolwater View Post
                          " ...find the circumcenter of the triangle by finding the equations of the three perpendicular bisectors of the sides of the triangles." Dear God. Canadian children are savants.
                          What if it's four places? Same thing with a square?
                          A square is easier - just find the intersection of the diagonals.

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                          • #38
                            Seriously? I was ssure there had to be some form of error calculation!
                            “A sinner can always repent, but stupid is forever.”
                            Billy Sunday

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                            • #39
                              Originally posted by Coolwater View Post
                              Seriously? I was ssure there had to be some form of error calculation!
                              Oh yeah, squares are easy since the four sides are equal in length, and there are 90 degree angles.

                              Now if we take any quadrilateral it gets more complicated.

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                              • #40
                                Oh, no; that's OK, thanks. Easy is fine.
                                “A sinner can always repent, but stupid is forever.”
                                Billy Sunday

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                                • #41
                                  Is mathpiglet still around? I'm desperately seeking people to do math with. Funny, that my first post is an inquiry about math on a Highlander forum ... I LOVE Highlander but somewhat less desperate about finding other Highlander enthusiasts than math enthusiasts (we are in few in number).

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                                  • MidnightBlue
                                    MidnightBlue commented
                                    Editing a comment
                                    So are you calculating stuff like continuous compound interest, P = P_0 e^(rt)?

                                  • Perfect Warrior
                                    Perfect Warrior commented
                                    Editing a comment
                                    The calculator they had us buy assumes periodic, not continuous. If I get into that it'll be in spreadsheets, I assume. Looking up compound interest the chapter it's covered in quickly launches into present value formulas.

                                    Then, under 'some additional calculations':
                                    Many shoppers use credit cards to make purchases. When you receive the statement for payment, you may pay the total amount due or you may pay the balance in a certain number of payments. (Then 'solving for the interest rate')

                                    But *blip* continuous? My credit union dropped their daily interest savings years ago. Do any financial institutions really do continuous?

                                  • MidnightBlue
                                    MidnightBlue commented
                                    Editing a comment
                                    They have calculators that can do this?! I didn't even know. Well it's not to the advantage of banks to do continuous compound interest. I imagine, if you do end up working at a bank, instead of directly manipulating spreadsheets, SQL programming is better for data integrity. Then again, finance is not my area of focus.

                                • #42
                                  Things tend to quiet down. I hope she is, and is well!

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                                  • #43
                                    Originally posted by dubiousbystander View Post
                                    Things tend to quiet down. I hope she is, and is well!
                                    I hope so too. Come back, mathpiglet!

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                                    • #44
                                      It's hard, because we don't know what's going on in anyone's life unless they tell us. Also, what with COVID-19, I always wonder are those absent members alright? And before this, it was "Have any of them passed away?" Because that happens, too.

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                                      • #45
                                        Yeah, COVID-19 really throws a curveball into everyone's lives. Keeps it interesting, as if life wasn't difficult enough without a pandemic.

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                                        • #46
                                          Ever so much the truth.

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                                          • #47
                                            IIRC Mathpiglet teaches in Ontario, right? So she's dealing with that going online without warning. I wouldn't blame her one bit if she's a bit F! computers after her workday is done.

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