The Conjugate Square symbol.

by Simon 6. September 2010 17:46

More hardcore, actual mathematics will be coming soon. But that requires me to actually have MathJax (the natively installed mathtype software that I've installed on the server) to be up and running and functioning within the blogging software. And then I have to go back and convert all the image based math equations into MathJax typeset. In the mean time - at my last study group, we began talking about symbology. In our last class, we learned that the overbar not only means a repeating decimal, but also means the conjugate of something. Which got me thinking about the below. I don't suggest you try this on your math teacher until I've actually taken over the Mathematical world and imposed my own definitions upon it, but still - take a think about how things you wouldn't normally think of doing can be applied in different ways.

When we see the following equation:

We immediately think - oh! That's a perfect square! Or, at least, maths teachers would desperately hope that's what we think of. And so we factor it:

Now say we see the following equation.

Again, maths teachers would hope we jump up and shout "that's a difference of squares!" And so, we factor it.

But there's no shortcut! But, hang on.

Look! It's an overbar! And an overbar, in this context, could be defined (by me, of course) to mean "take this expression, and multiply it by its conjugate."

So, if we accept the definition of Mathematics by Simon (MbS for short) what would this multiply out to?

A cursory glance of the internet tells me that no-one uses the bar over the exponent to mean something else, but if you know better, please tell me!

Tags:

Miscellaneous | Personal

Long time since an update

by Simon 20. July 2010 11:11

And yes, the answer to the superman problem is coming. My problem has been trying to implement the technology behind MathJax, in order to properly display equations and such. The method I was using before (an automatic image generation server) seems to have failed, as you can tell by the lack of equations in my blog. 

Good news is I got an A on my 131 course! Pre-calculus algebra and trigonometry, here I come! I'll be back as soon as the technology is working again. 

Tags:

Maths | Miscellaneous | Personal

The formula for a bad romance

by Simon 31. May 2010 11:57

Third degree Gaga equation with three solutions. Solutions can be real or complex musical notes. 

... this is possibly the nerdiest I've been. Credit to a World of Warcrafter named Mendari on Moon Guard.

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Miscellaneous

About the author

A 23 year old back in school. I thought I was finished with maths when I left high school. I was wrong. This is my journey of how I have to relearn all that I've forgotten, and the road ahead from introductory algebra, all the way to, well, wherever college math ends, I suppose!

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    Disclaimer

    I'm learning. I may get my math wrong. Be nice to me. The views expressed are my own, and in no way represent my teachers, classmates, future employers, or others connected to me.