Author Topic: Avatars  (Read 123076 times)

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Offline geoo

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #315 on: October 16, 2005, 09:23:10 AM »
Well, the fish one is fairly simple.

I know one probably known, maybe a bit unfair:

Correct the following equation moving only one stick:
|| = XX|| / V|||

(The '/' is actually a fraction line, not a matchstick, but I suppose even if it was a matchstick, it wouldn't change the solution.)

Conway

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #316 on: October 16, 2005, 02:48:22 PM »
Take any one of the '|'s and put it through the '=', to mean 'does not equal'.

Offline geoo

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #317 on: October 16, 2005, 02:54:10 PM »
Well, it's called 'correct the equation', in your case it's no equation anymore. :P
However, good idea.

Conway

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #318 on: October 16, 2005, 02:58:19 PM »
Well you said it may be unfair, so I was expecting it to be something cheap like that.

Offline geoo

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #319 on: October 16, 2005, 07:10:49 PM »
Yeah, it's unfair IMO, but not cheap.

Actually, the equation after changing is not completely correct: The right term is only an approximate value.

guest

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #320 on: October 16, 2005, 07:38:12 PM »
What's the correct answer? I moved one of the sticks in the V to the left side.

guest

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #321 on: October 16, 2005, 07:41:23 PM »
Oh, there are 2 X's...

Offline ccexplore

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #322 on: October 16, 2005, 08:34:35 PM »
Quote from: geoo89  link=1089129782/315#319 date=1129489849
Actually, the equation after changing is not completely correct: The right term is only an approximate value.

Well then, that's not an equation either!

The equal sign in mathematics really does mean absolute equality.  If it is only an approximate equality, you need to use the squiggly equal sign to denote that.

Offline DragonsLover

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #323 on: October 17, 2005, 02:01:43 PM »
Code: [Select]

| \/ - \  / |
| /\ -  \/  |


As you can see above, the equation is not true. The number nine (IX) shouldn't equal six (VI). Just add 3 sticks to make this equation correct. ;P
I like dragons! They're the center of my life! I'll never forget them...

Offline geoo

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #324 on: October 17, 2005, 07:27:36 PM »
Quote from: ccexplore (not logged in)  link=1089129782/315#322 date=1129494875
Well then, that's not an equation either!

The equal sign in mathematics really does mean absolute equality.  If it is only an approximate equality, you need to use the squiggly equal sign to denote that.
Well yes, I know, but anyway, I know it that way.

In fact, have you ever seen a completely even matchstick? I really doubt that. So, the equal sign, laid down using matchsticks, will never be one. ;)
(OK, that is just a cheap excuse; when I draw an equal sign using a pencil it isn't completely even either. ;))

Anyway, the answer is...
_
|| = XX|| / X||
(This is meant to be a Pi; and note, the matchsticks forming the '=' aren't completely even. ;))

Offline ccexplore

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #325 on: October 17, 2005, 08:13:47 PM »
Quote from: geoo89  link=1089129782/315#324 date=1129577256
In fact, have you ever seen a completely even matchstick? I really doubt that. So, the equal sign, laid down using matchsticks, will never be one. ;)

I didn't even know they are laid down using matchsticks.  I thought it was like the fraction bar which is somehow special and drawn with the pencil rather than built with matchsticks. ;)

Offline Proxima

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #326 on: October 17, 2005, 09:09:47 PM »
The answer to DragonsLover's puzzle is to place a I after the X, making it 1 x 1, and a bar over the I on the right side, making a square-root sign.

Offline ccexplore

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #327 on: October 17, 2005, 11:09:01 PM »
Interesting.  Though that would make for a somewhat ugly-looking square-root sign.  I was thinking it should be more like this in matchsticks:

Code: [Select]
    --
  / |
\/  |

Offline DragonsLover

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #328 on: October 18, 2005, 02:58:13 PM »
Ahribar, ccexplore, nope! These aren't the solution! ;P
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Offline Timballisto

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Re: Avatars
« Reply #329 on: October 18, 2005, 11:01:49 PM »
Cheap? &#A0;I don't think so. &#A0;I think it's easy. &#A0;It took me about seven seconds to solve.

Take the stick farthest left and put it on the right side of the division sign 10/2 = 5