Heated debate warning

[Dannik]

The answer to the problem as written: 288

If read in any way other than left to right, it's fantasy. Honest, perhaps accurate, but certainly not mathematics.

[WytchDokta]

who says the right answer is indeed the right answer? it's a free world there is no right or wrong

This. Who says a book or DVD having a 5-star rating printed on the front of it means it's actually any good? The only difference between right and wrong/good and bad is peoples' perception.

[Operative]

The whole problem has nothing to do with the order of the operations, it's more of: what is '12' multiplying.

[Zeealex]

who says the right answer is indeed the right answer? it's a free world there is no right or wrong

This. Who says a book or DVD having a 5-star rating printed on the front of it means it's actually any good? The only difference between right and wrong/good and bad is peoples' perception.

in my perception, you are right, that was the point i was trying to get across, but somehow, must have failed

[WytchDokta]

Pi is Pie

And contrary to what they want you to believe, Pi(e) is not 3.14. There is no 'point fourteen' of a slice of pie, it's full slices or no.

[Zeealex]

exactly. there is no normal either 'cept in science

[WytchDokta]

exactly. there is no normal either 'cept in science

The more fanatical/dedicated among my music scene are opposed to everything normal/ordinary. That is, everything widely considered 'normal' or 'ordinary' by the outsiders.

No... math functions the exact same way in any language in any country.

Let's take Latin. In cardinal form, Septem is seven, Octo is eight, Novem is nine, and Decem is ten. Now match up the numbers with 'our' months and it quite literally doesn't add up - example, December is the twelfth month. So which is the 'right' way to count - in Latinglish where twelve is ten, or in Latin where twelve is twelve?

Edited April 14, 2011 by WytchDokta

[Zeealex]

yeah, true, the normal in science is something to do with light relfections, it's hard to believe i got an A in that module

but normal is not deifned in the english dictionary apart from the normal mentione din science, because it CANNOT be defined.

confusing, but okay

[MeanMF]

RPN makes things unambiguous and you can do away with all of the brackets and parentheses.. Too bad it's hard to read.

9 3 + 48 2 ÷ *

[Ruin]

No... math functions the exact same way in any language in any country.

Let's take Latin. In cardinal form, Septem is seven, Octo is eight, Novem is nine, and Decem is ten. Now match up the numbers with 'our' months and it quite literally doesn't add up - example, December is the twelfth month. So which is the 'right' way to count - in Latinglish where twelve is ten, or in Latin where twelve is twelve?

That's not math... that's history. Ask Plutarch. You're at apples and oranges now. Same thing with the 5 star DVD... The mathematical equation stated at the beginning is not a matter of opinion, it's not open for interpretation like someone's thoughts on a movie. There are no "guides" to math... simply rules. There is, or there isn't. No in between. Yes, this includes imaginary numbers.

And the names we give numbers does not change the actual quantity. If I have two handguns on my desk but choose to say I have dos, dua, or even my new imaginary number of serientum.... it doesn't change the number of handguns on my desk. A dozen bagels or twelve? Doesn't matter, same quantity. Fifty years or half a century? Same amount of time.

The attempt at (semi) existential argument is interesting... but still wrong.

[WytchDokta]

No... math functions the exact same way in any language in any country.

Let's take Latin. In cardinal form, Septem is seven, Octo is eight, Novem is nine, and Decem is ten. Now match up the numbers with 'our' months and it quite literally doesn't add up - example, December is the twelfth month. So which is the 'right' way to count - in Latinglish where twelve is ten, or in Latin where twelve is twelve?

That's not math... that's history. Ask Plutarch. You're at apples and oranges now. Same thing with the 5 star DVD... The mathematical equation stated at the beginning is not a matter of opinion, it's not open for interpretation like someone's thoughts on a movie. There are no "guides" to math... simply rules. There is, or there isn't. No in between. Yes, this includes imaginary numbers.

And the names we give numbers does not change the actual quantity. If I have two handguns on my desk but choose to say I have dos, dua, or even my new imaginary number of serientum.... it doesn't change the number of handguns on my desk. A dozen bagels or twelve? Doesn't matter, same quantity. Fifty years or half a century? Same amount of time.

The attempt at (semi) existential argument is interesting... but still wrong.

My point still stands, 12 is NOT 10. When counting years as months we count in quantities of twelve, with December as the 12th month. That's the point - Decem is Latin meaning 10 (that's a Latin cardinal number rule). This stems from the Gregorian calendar, much less the early Roman (pre-Ceasar) 10 month calendar (where incidently, Decembrius(?) WAS the 10 month.) So if 12 is indeed 10, the answer above is incorrect.

Saying Decem means 12 is the same as saying the German word 'bin' has the same meaning in English.

[Ruin]

Reading is key... I'll condense it.

"During the reign of Romulus, they had let their months run on without any certain or equal term; some of them contained twenty days, others thirty-five, others more; they had no sort of knowledge of the inequality in the motions of the sun and moon; they only kept to the one rule that the whole course of the year contained three hundred and sixty days.

Days mattered, not months... calendar shift based on sun, not moon.

"That the Romans, at first, comprehended the whole year within ten, and not twelve months, plainly appears by the name of the last, December, meaning the tenth month; and that Martius was the first is likewise evident, for the fifth month after it was called Quintilis, and the sixth Sextilis, and so the rest; whereas, if Januarius and Februarius had, in this account, preceded Martius, Quintilis would have been fifth in name and seventh in reckoning.

Started with a ten month calendar - as evidenced by the names of our months today, and back then. However, new discoveries meant more time to account for in a year, two more months needed to be created.

"Of the months which were added or transposed in their order by Numa, Februarius comes from februa; and is as such a Purification month; in it they make offerings to the dead, and celebrate the Lupercalia, which, in most points, resembles a purification. Januarius was also called from Janus, and precedence given to it by Numa before Martius, which was dedicated to the god Mars; because, as I conceive, he wished to take every opportunity of intimating that the arts and studies of peace are to be preferred before those of war."

Again, the condensed version... two months were intentionally added for religious reasons. Also months names were changed for people July for Julius, August for Augustus etc. So even they manipulated the names of the months. March for Mars and April for Aphrodite.

So even if you step back to the time of the Romans, your argument still doesn't stand. Once the calendar was based on the sun and not the moon, days were added, and months changed, no longer did the root of the month's name matter.

Regardless of history... The names of the months have nothing to do with math. Nothing, at all. Sure, they happen to share roots that relate to numbers. But it's not etched in stone that your months must be named for the order they fall in. That's like saying your kids need to be named one, two, three, four etc... It's silliness.

Names, history, society, religion etc. are not in the same ballpark as math. The calculation of time IS math, the naming of its units are not. Again, still at Apples and Oranges.