From: L' Ermit (lhermit@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue Jan 08 2002 - 13:59:19 MST
Hermit observes that it is sadly the case that engineers can sometimes get
swept up by "strange" ideas. The worst of them typically occur when they
imagine that they have a really significant concept in a field which they
know very little about but presumably imagine that they have some competency
in it. As an aside, this probably accounts for about 50% of the most
ludicrous patents registered. Being as it may, I seem to have accidentally
omitted "Systems Engineers" from the list of prime-errants.
"Systems Engineer": "1 is a prime, 2 is a prime (I see a trend here), three
is a prime (Aha! It is a series) [a very long pause]... I conclude that all
numbers are prime! Now I am going to memorize the lot (ed. in a private
language which nobody else can understand), in case they leave this
capability out of future computers."
Hermit
PS Yash, can't you attempt to consolidate a few of your 1, 2 and 3 line
posts into fewer larger ones. You appear to be the highest volume poster
12/44 posts today, yet seemingly have the least to say (and I didn't mean
least sensible - although that also applies*).
*Justification:
["RE: virus: Pi me!",Yash,Tue 2002-01-08 02:56]
However, to put the record straight to you: I've done more than 15 years of
mathematics, including Maths in Physics and Chemistry at French University
level which is more advanced than its English counterpart( Shrödinger's wave
equation for atomic orbitals, etc...), and I'm a Systems Engineer.
Hmm, mathematical literacy claimed - which should give you a "feel" for
numbers. Yet, leaving aside the mathematical illiteracy which Kirk Steele
and I have already observed on, the following is what triggered this mail:
["RE: virus: LOL..lady of faith?? desperate huh?",Yash,Tue 2002-01-08 02:42]
I think I'd rather do it this way:
1. There are algorithms to make a computer calculate the digits.
2. Find a simple algorithm to do that mentally.
3. Use that algorithm mentally to speak out he numbers.
I agree that point 2. above may itself be hard, but once you get there, 3
would be easy.
[Hermit] /me observes that I posted a link to the paper giving the
formulation to determine the nth digit of some transcendental's
(http://www.lacim.uqam.ca/plouffe/articles/BaileyBorweinPlouffe.pdf) and
observe that they run in approximately time = d<super>O(1)</super> time.
Unless you have a brain a *lot* faster than most computers, you will have to
speak terribly slowly.
I think you should ask for your tuition fees to be returned...
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