Re: [HoE] Math! (was Re:[HoE] A Complete Review of HoE)

[Doug Stalker <dougs@technologist.com>]

My final comments before giving up on this discussion as pointless:


It looks like we have a wide range of mathematical ability amoung Hoe players.
Some of us are quite happy with any amount of maths, others dislike any.
Personally I'm glad Pinnacle didn't try to simplify the rules to integer addition
only.  If you don't like the maths, don't be a junker.

I'm currently toying with the idea of a Junker device creation program (Less for
it's practical use, more because it's  agood learning exercise, just like my HoE
Probability tables) and If I ever do I'll post it somewhere on the web and let
everyone know.  In the mean time, stick to pen and paper (with optional
calculator).



[Begin math geek discussion]

RAK3889@ritvax.isc.rit.edu wrote:

> It's funny to hear everyone complain about math, considering right now some of
> the math I am taking is rather interesting. Such things as Fourier Series,
> eigen vectors, and differential equations are actually rather interesting. Why?
> Because these things are used to model real life problems such as circuits.

Agreed, some higher maths is very useful.  Even simple Algebra/calculus is
invaluable to things like computer programming.  Some is it is just plain useless
to real world situations as far as I can tell though... a lot of the stuff with
complex numbers for example.   (Electrical Engineering uses more practical complex
numbers than any other field, and a lot of stuff we have no use for)

> All
> in all though I do use a calculator for most math. Why? I dont' have time to
> trifle with the small stuff. Anyways that's all for now.

Amusing anecdote:  a friend was in a 3rd year uni maths Tutorial when he leant to
the person next to him and asked "what is that back-to-front delta symbol?"  to
which he got the reply "It's a six"
It had been that long since he used real numbers....

Every so othen I'll forget something very basic in maths... the other day I was
trying to remember the quadratic equation and couldn't, but I could remember enough
to work it out.  And I though back to high school, and learning it fo rthe first
time.  Looking at how it was worked out and thinking "There's no way I'll ever
remember that!"

Doug