>A bit off-topic, but in a recreational-math kind of way. Plus,
>I think we all need to step back a few paces from this USWest
>thing, take a deep breath, regain our senses of humor (assuming
>we had such to start with :) ...
Ernst... thank you so much... yes we all need to take a break. Much
appreciated after I just downloaded the biggest daily dose of messages since
my time on the list. I giggled a lot :)
As for the new math problem:
> --------- /\
> | | / \ (imagine a circle here,
> | | / \ but that's tough to draw
> | | / \ using ascii characters).
> --------- ----------
>Question: what equation does the above represent?
For one horrible moment, I thought all it could represent was an anagram of
the Electronic Arts logo.
>What could be more obvious?
I am very very scared. It reminds me of my last year of 'junior school' in
England in 1982. It had already been decided where I was going to go for the
rest of my education, so I spent several months doing nothing in math but
playing with compasses and constructing involute and evolute curves (I
didn't know that was going on, and didn't really care, the patterns sure
looked pretty). Oddly enough I'd say that was where I got into number theory
as an escape from the mindless tedium.
I tried to think of my answer to the square, triange, shape... in the same
vein as Ernst's suggestions. 4-3=1 is the best I could see! And we are
surprised to find the numbers of college math students are dwindling?
Chris
