Math quiz time!

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Timness
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Math quiz time!

Post by Timness »

Ed: What number comes next in the pattern?
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, __

1) List all possible correct answers, if you can't, explain why not:
Last edited by Timness on Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Edminster
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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Edminster »

Timness wrote:1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, __

1) List all possible correct answers, if you can't, explain why not:
It's not possible, because you never introduced yourself. Does the New People thread need to be more visible? Because these new people sure don't seem to notice it, despite us pointing it out.
ol qwerty bastard wrote:bitcoin is backed by math, and math is intrinsically perfect and logically consistent always

gödel stop spreading fud

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LordRetard
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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by LordRetard »

It's not possible because you never gave us an instruction. BAM!

ALTERNATE ANSWER: I can't list what the next number is because I don't know what the rule is; the function could have any value after 36. That's what my syntax book told me, anyway, which for some reason uses the entire first chapter to explain the scientific method.

Timness
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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Timness »

LordRetard wrote:It's not possible because you never gave us an instruction. BAM!

ALTERNATE ANSWER: I can't list what the next number is because I don't know what the rule is; the function could have any value after 36. That's what my syntax book told me, anyway, which for some reason uses the entire first chapter to explain the scientific method.
I was just spoofing the tests they give high school students and SATs.

They just say something like "what number comes next in the pattern?" or something.

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Cirtur
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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Cirtur »

Looks like you introduced yourself, so I will get the obvious answer out of the way and say that 49 would be the next number. So, people who could be bothered to think of hilarious numbers can post now as can all those* who go "49, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA you are so foolish I am literally dying of laughter!"

*YOU

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Timness »

Cirtur wrote:Looks like you introduced yourself, so I will get the obvious answer out of the way and say that 49 would be the next number. So, people who could be bothered to think of hilarious numbers can post now as can all those* who go "49, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA you are so foolish I am literally dying of laughter!"

*YOU

y = Math.pow(x, 2) + ((x-4.0)*(x-3.0)*(x-2.0)*(x-1.0)) / (1.0*2.0*3.0*4.0)*(desiredNum - Math.pow(x, 2));


Replace desiredNum with any real number that exists, and it's just as valid as 49. A line can go through 1,4,9,16,25,36,10000

I've always found the formula interesting.

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Cirtur
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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Cirtur »

Hooray! But honestly, 1,4,9,16,25,36,1845738 isn't a pattern. It might be a line, it might be justified mathematically, but is not a pattern in the not-fully-literal-not-fully-abstract accepted sense.

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Timness »

Cirtur wrote:Hooray! But honestly, 1,4,9,16,25,36,1845738 isn't a pattern. It might be a line, it might be justified mathematically, but is not a pattern in the not-fully-literal-not-fully-abstract accepted sense.
It's a pattern, just not a pattern you like.

If you make the requirement for something to be a pattern of valid answers a straight line, then 1,4,9,16 isn't a pattern, because that isn't a straight line, it's a curved line.

Any mathematical pattern just requires a function which gives the provides the points you requested (such as 1,4,9,16,_)

It might feel Wrong to you that x^2 and x^2 + ((x-4.0)*(x-3.0)*(x-2.0)*(x-1.0)) / (1.0*2.0*3.0*4.0)*(1000) are both correct and there's no real way to say one is wrong, but mathematically, there's nothing wrong about it.

If it's a math problem, and you can't show that the answer is wrong in any way mathematically, then there's no valid complaint. I don't think it makes sense to talk about a math problem in like... spiritual terms? Or in "artistic terms"... There's no such thing as "what answer is prettier?" in mathematics.
Last edited by Timness on Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Cirtur »

No no no. I accept that it's right. I just feel that it's redundant to try and say that anything could fall into this pattern. Because then what do we call a pattern? Why would we use the word pattern when any sequence of numbers could be one? A pattern should be significant, and if any sequence could be a pattern in this case then it must have two reason for being a pattern to qualify as one then.

THEREFORE, 49 is correct.

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Timness »

Cirtur wrote:No no no. I accept that it's right. I just feel that it's redundant to try and say that anything could fall into this pattern. Because then what do we call a pattern? Why would we use the word pattern when any sequence of numbers could be one? A pattern should be significant, and if any sequence could be a pattern in this case then it must have two reason for being a pattern to qualify as one then.

THEREFORE, 49 is correct.
"A pattern should be significant"

That's like saying god exists because "life shouldn't be meaningless."
It's simply wishful thinking.

The whole point of the post is that this type of pattern question IS insignificant and useless because any real number you answer with IS a correct answer.

If you answer 1,4,9,16,25,36,_imaginary*0/0_ then that would be a wrong answer.

But if you answer 1000, that is A correct answer. There are an infinite number of correct patterns which satisfy the restriction I listed (1,4,9,16,25,36) There are also an infinite number of patterns which don't satisfy it.

Like square root of 4 has two answers, +2 and -2. It's wrong to say something like "only +2 is the square root of 4, because it's simpler than -2." The real answer is made up of all valid answers.

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Cirtur »

For pattern to have a meaning that is not synonymous with sequence, it needs to be redefined as to have two qualifiers as to why it is a pattern. Your formula represents one qualifier. A second would be that is a pattern of square numbers, therefore 49 is a pattern.

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by LordRetard »

No, a pattern definitely is significant, in the sense that one can see a pattern in it (it may not be significant in the large scheme of things, true). If it's not significant, then it's not a pattern.

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Cirtur »

Good point, LR. 5 trillion mega points.

Timness
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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Timness »

LordRetard wrote:No, a pattern definitely is significant, in the sense that one can see a pattern in it (it may not be significant in the large scheme of things, true). If it's not significant, then it's not a pattern.
"It's a pattern if you can see a pattern in it"

That's definitely not circular logic.

One person can look at 1,4,9,16 and see a pattern, one different person could look at 1,4,9,100 and see a pattern in it.

It's completely subjective, 100%.

"Mathematics is commonly described as the "Science of Pattern." Any sequence of numbers that may be modeled by a mathematical function is considered a pattern."
^~ I win, sorry. There's NOTHING to do with "significance." This is mathematics, not literary studies.

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Re: Math quiz time!

Post by Cirtur »

Listen if you don't like words don't use them. Clearly you're having trouble here. A pattern MEANS something repeating of significance. If the point you are trying to make is that you can put together sequences that work, good for you, I wish you all the best in your life*. However, by using the word pattern you asked for something subjective. And the best argument for what comes next is 49 in 3 different ways.

1) Square Numbers. It's nice and simple.

2) Occam's razor. as the simplest of patterns, it is the most likely to be correct.

3) A third thing. If you could make up your own argument about why you're wrong that would be great.

*The life probably full of mansions and piles of money based on your simply revolutionary pattern non-theory.

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