Mathematics: All Classes: Friday 04.11.05

[charlieeppes.livejournal.com]

Charlie is present. He's wrapped in a blanket and looks like he's trying to drown himself in the steaming cup of tea he's holding, but he's there.

"Today's announcements:

...I'm still sick. Jack O'Neill is also sick according to Janet Fraiser, and is off the hook detentionwise.

Kitty Pryde... Well, I'm sure you've all heard and it's a good thing I already feel miserable otherwise I'd totally angst about that.

Now, for today's classes..."

Comments

Beginners

[charlieeppes.livejournal.com]

"Please tell me which number system you chose, and what you found to be the most interesting thing about it," Charlie says, inbetween sipping tea like his life depends on it.

Re: Beginners

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia yawned and stood up. "I found the Hebrew Numerals to be the best beacause my adopted mom is Jewish and" yawns again "sorry- and its the primary basis of understand in religious class when we are learning to speak Hebrew."

Re: Beginners

[charlieeppes.livejournal.com]

"Not a bad reason at all," Charlie replies, then points his mug towards a small table in the corner of the classroom. "There's more tea over there if you want some."

Re: Beginners

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia walks over yawning again. "thank you" she says pouring a cup and stiring in some sugar.

Re: Beginners

[http://users.livejournal.com/_gottahavefaith/]

"I chose Japanese, because they were the prettiest," Faith says. "It was cool how one, two, and three were all kinda similar to regular numbers, minus a few connecting lines."

Re: Beginners

[charlieeppes.livejournal.com]

Charlie looks amused. "Never thought of it like that. Cool. New perspective." Of course, Charlie thinks all numbers are pretty, especially when they combine and everything just falls into place and makes sense.

Re: Beginners

[likeguidelines.livejournal.com]

"I be rather fond o' the Babylonian forms meself."

Re: Beginners

[charlieeppes.livejournal.com]

Charlie pops his head out of his blanket-tent long enough to squint at Barbossa and go; "Why?"

Re: Beginners

[likeguidelines.livejournal.com]

"They be so different," Barbossa said. "Not like numbers at all. They be remindin' me more of letters. I figger knowin' more about 'em be handy fer hidin' things in plain sight, as it were." He smiled. "Keep inventory of me belongings without others bein' able t'tell what I be writin'."

Re: Beginners

[charlieeppes.livejournal.com]

Charlie blinks at him. "...That's true. One of the reasons math was invented was to keep track of people's stuff."

Re: Beginners

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

At the end of class, a sheet of paper and a hot mug of broth are left on Charlie's desk. The paper reads:

In the land of Myst, the D'ni use a base 25 number system. This sounded rather intimidating to try and remember, but most of the digits are derived by rotating and overlaying the basic numerals for 1 through 4. So, all one really needs to do is remember those four symbols and the order of rotation to decipher the 'code' for the higher numbers.

They also use special digits for 25 and something referred to as a 'cyclical zero'. A cyclical zero would be for things like counting seconds. It would be used instead of a normal zero or the digit for 25 (in D'ni seconds) to represent the first second of a new minute. This makes a lot of sense and should be something we should look into doing here in our world.

Re: Beginners

[mycanonhatesme]

"The most interesting thing about Cyrillic to me was how they had symbols for each of the tens and hundreds, and not just 1-9." Chloe says. "It seems a little complicated, but I guess it made sense if you were reading it."