Obnoxious Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Suppose you have a nine out of nine chance to be hit in the head by a flying hippo today, is it possible that you won't? I think it is. A thought experiment: You are taking a fill-in-the-blank math test, however, you have no idea what the problem is saying, or what the solution could be...So you guess. In theory, you chances of getting the right answer is one out of infinite. However, as practice has shown, people do in fact guess right ocassionally...How is this possible? And since it is indeed possible, that one out of infinite is not in fact zero, then perhaps it is also possible that .9 vinculum (sp?) is in fact, not 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadmus Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Suppose you have a nine out of nine chance to be hit in the head by a flying hippo today, is it possible that you won't? I think it is. THis pretty muchs defeats the meaning of nine out of nine, doesn't it? In theory, you chances of getting the right answer is one out of infinite. I suggest that you adopt a different theory. I see that statistics is not your strong suit. Do you agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obnoxious Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Well, I was thinking that since 9/9 is .9 vinculum, and thus one, then 1/infinity is zero because the one (or for that matter, any number) is nowhere close to the size of infinity. Is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadmus Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Well, I was thinking that since 9/9 is .9 vinculum, Close. then 1/infinity is zero because the one (or for that matter, any number) is nowhere close to the size of infinity. Is it? What makes you think that the large number of potential responses is infinite? I disagree that there are infinite choices, and I disgree that the available choices have an equal probability of being correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I see that statistics is not your strong suit. Do you agree? There's no need for that in this forum. Moving this to the stats forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glider Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 If you have 9 balls in a barrel, and all 9 are red, then the proportion of balls in that sample that are red is 100%. Therefore, if you reach in to the barrel and pull one out at random, the probability it will be red is also 100%. The same applies for flying hippos. A nine out of nine chance means that there are nine flying hippos (so the proportion of flying hippos in that sample of nine is 100%), and if each one is going to hit you then the chances of being hit by a flying hippo is also 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obnoxious Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 Alright then, sorry about the wrong thread location deal, I watch out next time. Anyway, then is 1/infinite = zero? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 No. The limit of 1/infinity approaches zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obnoxious Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 So if that's the case, then why would .9 vinculum equal one? It should just approach one, but never quite touch it, sorta like asympototes and the hyperbola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadmus Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 So if that's the case, then why would .9 vinculum equal one? It should just approach one, but never quite touch it, sorta like asympototes and the hyperbola Correct (although 9/9 = 1) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 So if that's the case, then why would .9 vinculum equal one? It should just approach one, but never quite touch it, sorta like asympototes and the hyperbola http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3967&page=1& Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt grime Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 0.9 recurring equals one by definition of the terms involved. There is no debate. If you doubt the result then you aren't doing maths, you're doing you're own particular brand of maths that isnt' the same as the established definitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obnoxious Posted February 19, 2005 Author Share Posted February 19, 2005 Wait a second! In theory 9/9 = 1, but doesn't that violate the Uncertainty Principle in practice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 What does that mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayonara Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 Wait a second! In theory 9/9 = 1, but doesn't that violate the Uncertainty Principle in practice? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevermore Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 1/infinity > 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ophiolite Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 It's OK for you guys, but I've got a gash on my forehead from where the right hoof of the dratted hippo caught me a glancing blow, and the chaise lounge that it landed on will never be the same again. I wish you had been right obnoxious, but sadly not. [Can anyone tell me if hippo urine is alkaline or acidic. I still have some hopes of getting the stains out of the carpet.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevermore Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 acidic, and oxyclean does nothing to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayonara Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 Was this a hungry, hungry hippo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obnoxious Posted February 21, 2005 Author Share Posted February 21, 2005 Fine, if it makes anyone feel better, the hippos are indeed quite hungry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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