NationStates Jolt Archive

post your adventures in the world of math here. Here's mine. Keep in mind that I do my homework and get my lessons over the internet.

Goodie. Parabolas. Okay, it's u-shaped. It has a focus point and a directrix. Okay, everypoint must be the same distance from the directrix and the focus point. Okay, a new formula. Wait, what? What are those letters for, again? Okay, an example. Now tell me what the hell that means. I didn't ask for another example. Another one? Just tell me what the hell you are talking about. Latus Rectum. I have no idea what the hell you just did amd you're moving on to this subject. Humerous name. Hopefully, it's not ass related. wait, what's a LR again? Wait, what? Tell me again. Horizontal parabolas. Okay, no biggie. Just sideways parabolas. An example. Wait, where's the parabola? All I see on this graph is a line with a dot on it. another line? Another? At least that one had a parabola on it. Now, tell me again. Start with whereever this subject started. tell me what the hell the letters mean. I'm lost. Okay, more equations. I'm officailly lost. I remember this from this calculus book I tried to read. Why are you teaching me calculus? I wanted high school Algebra 2, not college-level calculus. I'm asking my mom, who took calculus in college. She has no idea what the hell is going on either. Great. I'm going to fail this course all because I'm having problems with a subject that I'll never use because it's overly complex and has nothing to do with taxes or any careers I want to go into. now I can't get into a good university all because I didn't want calculus in my Alg. 2.

I hate cylinders.

I share your pain. Next, I'll be exploring the unknown reaches of ellipses, otherwise known as ovals. did you know that ovals involve math that uses lines, almost all of which mean absolutely nothing? Shocking, I know. Hopefully, I'll be supplied with a map.

Hyperbolas are even better, they make you calculate lines that have nothing to do with the creation of the hyperbola, it's just for shits and giggles.

don't get me started on pi, whatever you do, do not mention the pi, all that infinite doohickey

Try memorizing every single theorum, rule, proof and property of tangents, secants, chords, radii, diameters, and such but not just for circles, the same kind of stuff for every other single shape known to man! That's AP Geometry in sophomore year while taking Algebra 2/Trig AND Pre-Calculus in the same year.... yeah my penchant for math is unheard-of at my school. But at least I'm not the only sophomore in an AP Calculus class with the rest of the students being Seniors.

once, while doing Seventh Grade geometry homework, i couldn't think of the term for this one vocabulary question. i made a quick prayer to God asking for the answer (come on, who hasn't done this before?). not three seconds later, i remembered: negative reciprocal!

true story :D

once, while doing Seventh Grade geometry homework, i couldn't think of the term for this one vocabulary question. i made a quick prayer to God asking for the answer (come on, who hasn't done this before?). not three seconds later, i remembered: negative reciprocal!

true story :D

Perpendicular lines? Shouldn't it be called opposite reciprocal?

well, insomuch as that one definition of "opposite" is "negative." to graph a perpendicular line to any given line y = mx + b, you make it y = -x/m + [any number]

well, insomuch as that one definition of "opposite" is "negative." to graph a perpendicular line to any given line y = mx + b, you make it y = -x/m + [any number]

well, I'm just saying, if you call it negatvie, then it could get confusing if the original lines slope is, say -1/2 "negative one half", you don't want negative two, you want the opposite, "positive two"

well, I'm just saying, if you call it negatvie, then it could get confusing if the original lines slope is, say -1/2 "negative one half", you don't want negative two, you want the opposite, "positive two"
yeah, but it'd be "negative negative one half", and the two "negatives" would cancel out.

dunno if you've taken any of the higher maths, but some equations effectively stack "negative" five, six, or more times!

yeah, but it'd be "negative negative one half", and the two "negatives" would cancel out.

dunno if you've taken any of the higher maths, but some equations effectively stack "negative" five, six, or more times!

I know, I know, I'm just saying, I've personally seen people mess up because of the word "negative" where "opposite" might be better suited.

don't get me started on pi, whatever you do, do not mention the pi, all that infinite doohickey

mmmmmmmmmmm pie

Parabolas are shaped like big "thingies"

I hate maths. I just see it as a tool for doing mechanics, control and stability.

I have to do an entire chapter in conic sections, meaning that there are going to be worse things for me than parabolas.

Next thread: Adventures in Spanish. I will try to figure out what the hell these seemingly random words mean as well as struggle with genders and word forms. How can people speak this language? I don't know.

I can't wait to start studying hyperbolic geometry myself...it's going to be quite interesting.

The funny thing is, I can do any kind of abstract or complex formula in math, but when I get to the more applied science/engineering type problems, I simply can't do them.

I have to do an entire chapter in conic sections, meaning that there are going to be worse things for me than parabolas.

Next thread: Adventures in Spanish. I will try to figure out what the hell these seemingly random words mean as well as struggle with genders and word forms. How can people speak this language? I don't know.

Heh, Spanish is eaiser than English if you ask me...so much of the sentence in your verb...^_^

In my Algebra 2 class in high school, the teacher had a computer game that showed a graph with numerous points all over it. The object was to enter a function and graph a line that would connect multiple points. Whoever connected the most points with a single function won. Well, a couple students created lines that connected three dots. Some people were working on finding a way to connect four. But not me. In a brilliant show of smartassery, I gave the teacher a complex equation to enter and I graphed a hyperbolic curve that connected six points.

After class, I got beaten up by a mob of angry algebra nerds. :p

The funny thing is, I can do any kind of abstract or complex formula in math, but when I get to the more applied science/engineering type problems, I simply can't do them.
Ha, the opposite is true for me. I couldn't do anything math-wise, but come physics where I utilized the same math principles, I flew by with ease.