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Thread: Gah, math.

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    Default Gah, math.

    ETA: Okay the damn symbols will just not load. Grr. Clickable though.

    Some people need life help questions, I have a math help question.

    What the hell do these mean?

    List the elements in the set A = {a | a W, a is a greater than or equal to 5 and less than 13}

    Let A = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 } and B = { x | x W, x is a multiple of 3 and x less than 30 } List the elements in A B.

    I'm working on homework #1 and I get all the algebra stuff, all the x+3=whatever. I know that. I had advanced honors spiffy algebra in high school (Don't ask why I'm taking remedial alg in college. Some of my brain is gone.) and I have never seen this stuff. What is the W for?

    Anyone? Any help is totally appreciated.

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    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    W is usually "Whole Numbers."

    It is 0,1,2,3....infinity

    A = {a such that a is an element of W and a is greater than or equal to 5 and less than 13}

    A intersect B (the upside down U) is common elements of A and B.

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    God/dess scarlett_vancouver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    word on the 'W= whole numbers'. Makes sense since the means 'in the set of' ... so R will be real numbers, &etc

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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    D'oh! Thank you guys! Some parts of math are really, really annoying.

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    Featured Member Hello_Kitty27's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    OMG...it's been 10 years since I took a math class, so I wanted to take the beginner's algebra just to get my feet wet, despite math being my strongest subject in HS ....holy crap, hardest class ever! I "get" all the actual algebra stuff, just some of the terminology and quirks screwed me up big time!! In HS, I was able to get a A in trig with a plain calculator. I was the only one in my whole class w/o a graphing calc, I was so good at math ...not anymore. Bleh. Anyways, sorry to threadjack...I was miserable last semester doing all these kinds of probs.






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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    Quote Originally Posted by Hello_Kitty27 View Post
    OMG...it's been 10 years since I took a math class, so I wanted to take the beginner's algebra just to get my feet wet, despite math being my strongest subject in HS ....holy crap, hardest class ever! I "get" all the actual algebra stuff, just some of the terminology and quirks screwed me up big time!! In HS, I was able to get a A in trig with a plain calculator. I was the only one in my whole class w/o a graphing calc, I was so good at math ...not anymore. Bleh. Anyways, sorry to threadjack...I was miserable last semester doing all these kinds of probs.
    Yep. I get the algebra part. But that whole 'sets' thing and the little short cuts he keeps trying to give us? So freaking confusing.

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    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    Sets are the very foundations of numerical mathematics. They are your collections of measures. If you cannot measure it, you cannot know it.

    All those algebraic equations simply describe sets of numbers. If you let it roll around in your head enough you will realize that all mathematical operations are a fancy way of describing the most basic operations on sets like union and intersection, etc.

    They let you describe what numbers your "interested in" and which you can "throw away." If you are doing a computation and one of those numbers show up, you will know one of two things: 1) The computation is wrong or 2) your understanding of the sets are wrong.

    Sorry for geeking out. I am a professional mathematician and it's just nice to see a little bit of conversation on it.

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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    ^^It's okay. I geek out enough on my things. Still not quite getting the sets things, but I get what the problems were talking about. I think it would be easier if the prof spent more time telling us what the hell wa going on, instead of continually lecturing us on how we'll need this 'in the real world kids'. Jerk. We know that. Make with the maths.

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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    Quote Originally Posted by RoseLeigh View Post
    ^^It's okay. I geek out enough on my things. Still not quite getting the sets things, but I get what the problems were talking about. I think it would be easier if the prof spent more time telling us what the hell wa going on, instead of continually lecturing us on how we'll need this 'in the real world kids'. Jerk. We know that. Make with the maths.
    Yea, I know what you mean.

    The pro's find math teachers infuriating too. A lot of us question "modern mathematics." A great deal of powerful math theory was developed long before this build on this and that and circles and lines. Sometimes it is just staring at the ceiling and thinking "Ya know, if I put some grid lines up there I can actually 'see' a function as a picture instead of as an expression." (Descartes's invention as he laid in bed sick.) That is not the result of thinking in terms of modern mathematics.

    I had a long discussion about "What is a variable?" with a teacher and was stunned at his shallow understanding of it.

    The next time the ole "real world kids" shit comes up - hold a five dollar bill and a one dollar bill and say "Yea, I get it with the real world thing, OK!!!"

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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    Yeah, you'll totally need Euclidean geometry in the real world

    Bah. Beyond the high school basics, the only math remotely useful in real life (unless you're math-y as a career, of course), is discrete math, imo. The rest sucks ballz.

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    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    Quote Originally Posted by scarlett_vancouver View Post
    Yeah, you'll totally need Euclidean geometry in the real world
    Ya never had to bisect a pizza in half with a room mate have ya?

    (After that comes the fight over how many pieces of pepperoni are on a given side.)

    Bah. Beyond the high school basics, the only math remotely useful in real life (unless you're math-y as a career, of course), is discrete math, imo. The rest sucks ballz.
    I dunno... some of these credit card companies like the infinity concept.

    But yea, most people can get by without knowing what an abelian group is and what it proves.

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    Default Re: Gah, math.

    Quote Originally Posted by scarlett_vancouver View Post
    Yeah, you'll totally need Euclidean geometry in the real world

    Bah. Beyond the high school basics, the only math remotely useful in real life (unless you're math-y as a career, of course), is discrete math, imo. The rest sucks ballz.
    Hehe. Well geometry does help for sewing and pattern witchery!

    It's a 'below credit level' class (Intermediate Algebra) and the prof is apparently convinced that we're all dunces who don't understand that we need math. Instead of maybe chicks who've been out of school for freaking years and forget all the damn symbols.

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