Stupid and Pointless Thread - Printable Version

Stupid and Pointless Thread - Printable Version

+- InsaneTrain Forums (https://insanetrain.com)
+-- Forum: General (https://insanetrain.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: General Forum (https://insanetrain.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=8)
+--- Thread: Stupid and Pointless Thread (/showthread.php?tid=11148)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Anyone know what the latin root words in Cornucopia are and what they mean? How about the mythological story behind the cornucopia?

Stupid and Pointless Thread - leucetios - 09-21-2004

I could google it, but that would be cheating. I don't know offhand

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by asshat@Sep 20 2004, 10:48 PM
Anyone know what the latin root words in Cornucopia are and what they mean?  How about the mythological story behind the cornucopia?

[snapback]75664[/snapback]

Cornu = Horn
Copia = Plenty or abundant

It is the Horn of Plenty. The mythological story is that when Zeus was an infant he was nursed by an nymph name Amalthea. She feed him with milk from a goat and honey from the bees. Later, to show his gratitude, he took a goat's horn, filled it with food, fruit and herbs, and gave it to Amalthea. The horn would always be full of food whenever the nymph desired.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Number one thing to understand when learning calculus. Calculus is simply the development of a method of estimating areas.

Let's say that you have a circle who has a diameter of 16 inches. If you had nothing but a ruler and you wanted to estimate its diameter you could begin to disect that circle into equal sized squares. You would then add up the number of squares found to be "inside" of the circle and multiply the number by their individual area.

The more squares you make and the smaller they become the closer you get to finding the actual area.

Example: The first time we divide the circle into squares that are 4 inches each. Obviously this is not a very good representation of the area.

[attachmentid=7779]

Now, to get a closer answer, we divide the squares again into 2 inch squares.

[attachmentid=7780]

To get closer still, we divide the squares again into 1 inch squares.

[attachmentid=7781]

If we continue to do this until the squares are infinitely small, we will find the exact number to be 201 square inches.

If you can understand this then you now understand the basic premise of Calculus.
Congratulations.

And no bitching and whining.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Here is something that [doubtful]someone[/doubtful] might find interesting. Have you ever heard of the Golden Ratio? Well, it is based on a number called Phi, named after a Greek sculptor named Phidias. He was well known as the architect of the famous Parthenon and lived from 500 BC to 432 BC. In fact, he used the Golden Ratio as the basis for many of his sculptures, including his design of the Parthenon. It is said that a rectangle whose sides are 1 and 1.61803 is the most perfectly proportioned rectangle. Whatever.

Anyway, the golden ratio is 1:1.61803, and Phi is 1.61803........(It is a number whose decimal never ends and never has a pattern repeat itself, like pi.

Now, the cool thing about this number is that you can achieve this number in a very unique way. It has to do with the Fibonacci sequence. If you find the ratio of two successive numbers in the Fibonacci sequence you will find as the numbers get larger the ratio gets closer and closer the Phi. For instance, 5/3 = 1.667. 233/144 = 1.6181. 610/377 =1.6181.

Now, I know you all are asking, what the fuck is the Fibonacci sequence. Well, here is how you determine that sequence.

The first twenty numbers of the sequence are as follows:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181

The numbers are obtained by adding two numbers to get the next. For example:
0 + 1 = 1
1 + 1 = 2
1 + 2 = 3
2 + 3 = 5
3 + 5 = 8
5 + 8 = 13
8 + 13 = 21
13 + 21 = 34
21 + 34 = 55
34 + 55 = 89
55 + 89 = 144
89 + 144 = 233
144 + 233 = 377
233 + 377 = 610
377 + 610 = 987
610 + 987 = 1597
987 + 1597 = 2584
1597 + 2584 = 4181
and so on???. (the next two would be 2584 + 4181)

The larger of these two numbers you use, the closer you will come to approximating Phi. So, 4181/2584 = 1.618034056

Cool, huh? All done by a dude around 500 BC.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - CodeWarrior - 09-21-2004

fibbonaci is the man, I love math

Stupid and Pointless Thread - Bill - 09-21-2004

damn I thought this would be a little different then 99.9% of all the other threads....what was I thinking......CW are there many math major hotties?

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by CodeWarrior@Sep 21 2004, 03:26 AM
fibbonaci is the man, I love math

[snapback]75816[/snapback]

You are not alone. Post a math epiphany.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - Velvet - 09-21-2004

This makes my head hurt . If I had an emotye I would shoot it right now .

Army1/asshat can I ask you a question .... Are you male or female ???

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by Velvet@Sep 21 2004, 04:12 AM
This makes my head hurt . If I had an emotye I would shoot it right now .

Army1/asshat can I ask you a question .... Are you male or female ???

[snapback]75823[/snapback]

male

Stupid and Pointless Thread - Velvet - 09-21-2004

Oh .. Ok its just I couldnt work it out from your avatar . Next question ... how old ?? or should I just ask all this stuff in a thread Smile

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by Velvet@Sep 21 2004, 04:21 AM
Oh .. Ok its just I couldnt work it out from your avatar .  Next question ... how old ?? or should I just ask all this stuff in a thread

[snapback]75826[/snapback]

My avatar was given to me from..........Banana, I think. I don't remember. She had a thread that produced my avatar since I didn't have one.

Snarg helped me with my name.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - TomFoolery - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by asshat@Sep 21 2004, 02:40 AM
Here is something that [doubtful]someone[/doubtful] might find interesting.  Have you ever heard of the Golden Ratio?  Well, it is based on a number called Phi, named after a Greek sculptor named Phidias.  He was well known as the architect of the famous Parthenon and lived from 500 BC to 432 BC.  In fact, he used the Golden Ratio as the basis for many of his sculptures, including his design of the Parthenon.  It is said that a rectangle whose sides are 1 and 1.61803 is the most perfectly proportioned rectangle.  Whatever.

Anyway, the golden ratio is 1:1.61803, and Phi is 1.61803........(It is a number whose decimal never ends and never has a pattern repeat itself, like pi.

Now, the cool thing about this number is that you can achieve this number in a very unique way.  It has to do with the Fibonacci sequence. If you find the ratio of two successive numbers in the Fibonacci sequence you will find as the numbers get larger the ratio gets closer and closer the Phi. For instance, 5/3 = 1.667. 233/144 = 1.6181. 610/377 =1.6181.

Now, I know you all are asking, what the fuck is the Fibonacci sequence.  Well, here is how you determine that sequence.

The first twenty numbers of the sequence are as follows:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181

The numbers are obtained by adding two numbers to get the next. For example:
0 + 1 = 1       
1 + 1 = 2     
1 + 2 = 3       
2 + 3 = 5       
3 + 5 = 8       
5 + 8 = 13 
8 + 13 = 21     
13 + 21 = 34
21 + 34 = 55   
34 + 55 = 89   
55 + 89 = 144       
89 + 144 = 233     
144 + 233 = 377     
233 + 377 = 610     
377 + 610 = 987
610 + 987 = 1597
987 + 1597 = 2584 
1597 + 2584 = 4181   
and so on???.        (the next two would be 2584 + 4181)

The larger of these two numbers you use, the closer you will come to approximating Phi.  So, 4181/2584 = 1.618034056

Cool, huh?  All done by a dude around 500 BC.

[snapback]75815[/snapback]

I read The DaVinci Code. I am a Fibonacci expert.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - Bill - 09-21-2004

damn TOM!!!!you read? and book without pictures even!

Stupid and Pointless Thread - TomFoolery - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by Wyldbill@Sep 21 2004, 04:48 AM
damn TOM!!!!you read? and book without pictures even!

[snapback]75840[/snapback]

Yes. Fuck off.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - Bill - 09-21-2004

jus fuckin with ya man...it was a good book...

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by TomFoolery@Sep 21 2004, 04:47 AM
I read The DaVinci Code.  I am a Fibonacci expert.

[snapback]75839[/snapback]

Seriously for a minute. Can you tell me how (since I have not read it) it relates to the Masons?

Stupid and Pointless Thread - TomFoolery - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by asshat@Sep 21 2004, 05:11 AM
Seriously for a minute.  Can you tell me how (since I have not read it) it relates to the Masons?

[snapback]75854[/snapback]

If I remember correctly (it's been a while since I read it) the Masons incorporated Pagan symbols into their work. The main character in the book is a symbologist at Harvard (?), the book is heavily based on breaking a code and his expertise is needed to help solve a crime involving cryptic clues.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - asshat - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by TomFoolery@Sep 21 2004, 05:23 AM
If I remember correctly (it's been a while since I read it) the Masons incorporated Pagan symbols into their work.  The main character in the book is a symbologist at Harvard (?), the book is heavily based on breaking a code and his expertise is needed to help solve a crime involving cryptic clues.

[snapback]75856[/snapback]

It interests me because I am a Mason. I need to read the book (which I never do) or see the movie.

Stupid and Pointless Thread - TomFoolery - 09-21-2004

Quote:Originally posted by asshat@Sep 21 2004, 05:25 AM
It interests me because I am a Mason.  I need to read the book (which I never do) or see the movie.

[snapback]75858[/snapback]

It doesn't have to do much with masonry. You should read 'Pillars of the Earth'.