quintix

hahahahahaha..... oh my God salamat sa iyo

a beam of light has broken through the darkness...

it is all so clear now: i should no longer bother with this thread.

--------------------------

happy discussions... sana marami kayong matutunan!

my answers differ because i see the question differently, not because i use different mathematics.

the original question of dividing by zero for me is a question of algebra, not of calculus... and so i used the axioms of algebra to demonstrate why it is not allowed. this is the more fundamental approach to this question.

the evaluation of rational expressions or functions at a point of discontinuity is a different matter in my view. even if the denominator happens to be zero, or evaluates at zero.

as for the probability question, i was exploring the odds of X=n where X is the number of lotto winners in a draw and n>1. In this case, the number of bettors is indeed a factor. the assertion of only two factors being relevant is for the case of X=1.

i moved to close the thread but such motion was not carried and seconded, not to mention we all fully realize such declaration would not actually close the thread.

and finally i used the analogy of oil and water to stress a point, in that dividing by zero cannot have an answer.

I lost my cool when a reference was dropped regarding my miseducation, and for this I apologize.

I shouldn't have to defend myself, knowing my own credentials, accepting my own fallibility, and realizing the limitations of this medium for relevant mathematical discourse.

To the cooler heads who have intervened, thanks for pointing out this was getting out of hand.

--------------------------------------------------

Here's my contribution, observe that:

2 + 2 = 2 x 2

1 + 2 + 3 = 1 x 2 x 3

Is there a similar equation with the sum of four numbers being equal to their product?

(I don't have any answer to this, but if there is a correct answer, everyone will know without any further discussion necessary)

boy, salamat sa sagot mo...

di ko na pipilitin ang pananaw ko, halata namang nalalaman mo din ang sinasabi mo. pero kung may panahon ka itanong mo sa isa mong kakilala na bihasa sa statistics kung ano tingin niya.

peace be with you.

How about 2, 3 or 4 persons winning the same draw?

Kung ang tanong eh probability na dalawang tao manalo sa isang draw, kailangan natin malaman kung ilan ang tumataya at kung ilang number ang tinataya nung bawat isa.

For example kung isa lang ang tumataya, kahit ano gawin mo hindi dalawa ang mananalo. Kung dalawa ang tumataya, silang dalawa ang dapat manalo. Kung tatlo ang tumataya, you have to add the possibilities na kung sinong dalawa sa tatlo ang mananalo. Kasama pa sa model mo yung kung ilang number ang tinataya nung bawat isa... there are two levels of complexity here, yung personal odds of winning nung bawat individual and the number of winners... there are two random variables at work here.

Anyway, mahabang usapan talaga ang probability atsaka yung mga 'in how many ways'. The most crucial part is kung nagkakaintindihan kung ano ba ang tanong.

This is not the right place for questions like this.. patulan na lang nating yung beer bottle problem, ok?

on dividing by zero:

to divide by a number x is to multiply by its multiplicative inverse, 1/x

the reciprocal/inverse of a number is that which when multiplied by the number is 1

so we need the value of 1/x when x=0. however, any number multiplied by zero is zero (zero property of multiplication).

and so zero has no inverse, and we can't divide anything by it. ganun na yun, parang langis at tubig na di maghahalo kahit ano pa ang bate mo.

---------------------------

regarding the lotto, let us simplify the game first. hulaan ng labas sa six-sided die, tapos tatlo lang tao sa mundo na tag-isa ang mga hula. kumbaga 1-6 ang laro.

chances of winning? 1/6, for each player

chances of no person winning: (5/6)(5/6)(5/6) = 125/216

chances of exactly 1 person winning: 3(1/6)(5/6)(5/6) = 75/216

chances of exactly 2 persons winning: 3(1/6)(1/6)(5/6) = 15/216

chances of all persons winning: (1/6)(1/6)(1/6) = 1/216

total probability: 1 (125+75+15+1=216)

the point of it all: least likely scenario is that everyone wins, least likely is no one wins, with other possiblities falling inbetween. pero di masasagot yang lotto question kung walang assumption kung ilan ang tumaya, kung ilang numero ang tinaya ng mga tao, kung nandadaya ba yung mga taga-PCSO, etc.

-------------------------

i move that this thread be closed!

my passions are:

teaching / training: educating people at work, getting them to see another point of view or understand a difficult concept, getting my staff kick-started with a useful tip, some quick insight, or the answer to a question they barely know how to phrase without sounding really idiotic

basketball: watching it, discussing it, playing it, regretting it the next morning, and overmanaging my fantasy team

mathematics: using it at work, thinking about it in a cab, fantasizing about getting a fields medal (there is no nobel prize for math; alfred's wife left him for a mathematician hehehe)

language: speaking, reading, critiquing, composing tirades to be released at a later time, psychoanalyzing strangers based on their choice of words, turns of phrase, and all the thoughtful pauses inbetween

local television: kicking back from the mental work that fills my day by watching telenovelas and keeping in touch with showbiz gossip and the hottest new names and faces (i love iya!) on the entertainment scene

for us to better appreciate the figures quoted, might i suggest that posters also add how many years they have been working in their industry.

mahirap tumantsa sa mga titles, lalo na kung bagong tuntong ka pa lang sa isang position o hinog ka na for another promotion.

pasensya na lang kung magkakabukohan ng edad, hahaha.