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Maths illusions

here's a thread where you can post the best maths illusions. Please feel free to post illusions.

Here's mine. tell me what you think of it :wink:

a = b
times both sides by b
ab = b²
minus a²
ab – a² = b² – a²
factorise
a(b-a) = (b+a)(b-a)
divide by (b-a)
a = b+a
replace b by a
a = a + a
a = 2a
divide by a
1 = 2

:biggrin:

If 1 = 2, the world would end

oh dear.

Dear oh dear.

Haha, quite good.

mockel

Dear oh dear.

This should be moved to GC, like you suggested, to amaze the commoners. :cool:

Reply 5

Zuber

OP

6

endeavour

This should be moved to GC, like you suggested, to amaze the commoners. :cool:

It probably should. I have used it to amaze some rather stupid people in my class before :biggrin:

. I dont expect anyone here to fall for it.

Reply 6

corkskrew

2

Mathematical proof that women are evil???

Women take time and money, so:
Women = Time x Money

Any decent businessman will tell you time is money:
Women = Money x Money

Money is the root of all evil:
Women = √Evil x √Evil

But if you mulitiply a square root by it's own square root you get itself, so:
Women = Evil

Reply 7

khil

15

If you replace b with a then you're putting a different number in, right?

I'm gonna sound so stupid but I don't get it :frown:

the thing doesn't make sense...

and no I'm not dumb I'm just unbelievably CRAP at Maths.

Reply 8

dvs

10

How about this one, it uses the imaginary number i^2=-1:
-1 = -1
1/-1 = -1/1
sqrt(1/-1) = sqrt(-1/1)
1/i = i/1
1 = i^2
1 = -1

:smile:

Reply 9

khil

15

corkskrew

Mathematical proof that women are evil???

Women take time and money, so:
Women = Time x Money

Any decent businessman will tell you time is money:
Women = Money x Money

Money is the root of all evil:
Women = √Evil x √Evil

But if you mulitiply a square root by it's own square root you get itself, so:
Women = Evil

Men cost time and money too! - so using your logic: Men = Evil

Men : Women
Evil : Evil
Which cancels each other out :biggrin:

You see, men and women - it's meant to be - they're complimentary! :biggrin:

Reply 10

Zuber

OP

6

irisng

If you replace b with a then you're putting a different number in, right?

my first line was a=b, so no.

Reply 11

Zuber

OP

6

irisng

Men cost time and money too! - so using your logic: Men = Evil

Men : Women
Evil : Evil
Which cancels each other out :biggrin:

You see, men and women - it's meant to be - they're complimentary! :biggrin:

I would say women take much more time and money up then men.
Men = time x money = money x money = √evil x √evil = evil
Women = time² x money² = money² x money² = evil x evil = evil²

Basically to cure world poverty kill women.

Reply 12

khil

15

Zuber

I would say women take much more time and money up then men.
Men = time x money = money x money = √evil x √evil = evil
Women = time² x money² = money² x money² = evil x evil = evil²

Basically to cure world poverty kill women.

Well I suppose that would in effect terminate the human race :redface:

Women tend to give a lot more into a relationship though, generally speaking - so it cancels everything out again. :wink:

And I'm sure there're some men who won't thank you for killing all women :wink:

Reply 13

Mad Vlad

19

Men are more evil than women...

menareworse.jpg39.3KB

Reply 14

Zuber

OP

6

well science has been developing techniques to make babies from 2 men or women. (i.e. fuse 2 ova nuclei or 2 sperm nuclei and insert into an enucleated egg). so we probably wouldnt be terminated.
And women tend to give more in a relationship??? utter lies. on the whole men and women give into relationships equally.

Reply 15

Mop

irisng

If you replace b with a then you're putting a different number in, right?

I'm gonna sound so stupid but I don't get it :frown:

the thing doesn't make sense...

and no I'm not dumb I'm just unbelievably CRAP at Maths.

I'll give you a (big) hint: the problem occurs when dividing through by (b-a).

Reply 16

saz_1989

2

Zuber

here's a thread where you can post the best maths illusions. Please feel free to post illusions.

Here's mine. tell me what you think of it :wink:

a = b
times both sides by b
ab = b²
minus a²
ab – a² = b² – a²
factorise
a(b-a) = (a+b)(a-b)
divide by (b-a)
a = a+b
replace b by a
a = a + a
a = 2a
divide by a
1 = 2

:biggrin:

If 1 = 2, the world would end

there are three very obvious stupid mistakes with this. firstly you've factorised wrong. here's the corrected version:
ab - a² = b² - a²
a(b - a) = (b - a)(b + a)
at this line you had (a - b)(b + a)

now of course, you can tell me that a = b and hence you can have b - a. well, ok let's pretend that you're right and continue with your method.

so we have a(b - a) = (a - b)(b + a)
you want to divide by (b - a). well you can't. if a = b, then b - a = 0, and you cant divide by zero. but you have, hence the answer is undefined.

well let's continue anyway.
a = 2a
divide by a: 1 = 2. this can't exist, hence a must equal zero and hence a = 2a.

without being harsh, i suggest you relearn your basic algebra, because you've made some very simple mistakes and it'll be quite easy to fix.

i'll post some interesting maths after i get back from this morning's tripos exam (which, funny enough, is maths).

edit: mop's beaten me to the correct answer :p:

another cambridge genius :wink:

i've realised i can't even post what i wanted to because they don't have the correct symbols so i'll post in words
e^i(theta) = cos(theta) + isin(theta)
woo
which gives my fave equation
e^i.pi +1 = 0

Reply 17

Mop

*Pats Lozza on the head* re-read the sixth post in this thread :p:

Reply 18

Google

1

Lozza

there are three very obvious stupid mistakes with this. firstly you've factorised wrong. here's the corrected version:
ab - a² = b² - a²
a(b - a) = (b - a)(b + a)
at this line you had (a - b)(b + a)

now of course, you can tell me that a = b and hence you can have b - a. well, ok let's pretend that you're right and continue with your method.

so we have a(b - a) = (a - b)(b + a)
you want to divide by (b - a). well you can't. if a = b, then b - a = 0, and you cant divide by zero. but you have, hence the answer is undefined.

well let's continue anyway.
a = 2a
divide by a: 1 = 2. this can't exist, hence a must equal zero and hence a = 2a.

without being harsh, i suggest you relearn your basic algebra, because you've made some very simple mistakes and it'll be quite easy to fix.

i'll post some interesting maths after i get back from this morning's tripos exam (which, funny enough, is maths).

edit: mop's beaten me to the correct answer :p:

another cambridge genius :wink:

i've realised i can't even post what i wanted to because they don't have the correct symbols so i'll post in words
e^i(theta) = cos(theta) + isin(theta)
woo
which gives my fave equation
e^i.pi +1 = 0