this is not real

[Mud Flaps]

a = x [true for some a's and x's]
a+a = a+x [add a to both sides]
2a = a+x [a+a = 2a]
2a-2x = a+x-2x [subtract 2x from both sides]
2(a-x) = a+x-2x [2a-2x = 2(a-x)]
2(a-x) = a-x [x-2x = -x]
2 = 1 [divide both sides by a-x]

A guy figured this out and posted it on his website. Note that I am not taking credit for it. But it doesn't matter, because it is not real.



I like milk!

 

[Figjam]

I followed it up till the last step which confused me.
EDIT: I get it now. but what do you mean its not real, exactly?

 

[Mud Flaps]

PM me for the answer!

So much for the on=off, life=death, fate=free-will thing!

 

[Mud Flaps]

Figjam, you have a PM.

 

[Davidoc]

Edit-I did not realize that this was a game and you're supposed to pm for the answer. Answer removed.

If anyone else has figured it out, dont' post here.

 

[DEFELDUS]

these things are neat, we did some in calculus one day

the coolest one was 1+1 (or 2) came our to equal 3

lets make a thread for fun math!

 

[Davidoc]

Did you know that in IB higher math, 1+1 almost always equals 2?

 

[Davidoc]

Oh, here's a hint that doens't give it away, but explains why the answer, and why the rule that it applies prevents this from happening:

What is infinity plus one?

 

[Wrong Robot]

you know there is already a thread about the matrix.

 

[jenderfazz]

It does work, but the answer is wrong. I won't reveal it, but both sides are equal the whole way through. However, it doesn't end up being 2 = 1. It's pretty simple, just remember that x = a.

 

[artistanbul]

there is no such thing as x/0,
thus you cannot take it as a common divider.
that's the problem

 

[BehindTheMoon]

Divide anything by zero and you get ????.

Substituting into the equation, you get

???? = ????

Not very enlightening.

If you were to approach this as a limit (ie, make x-a become smaller and smaller and see what the result on each side of the = tended to become), the equations would still balance. Until you hit zero, at which point you get ???? and all meaning evaporates into the chasm of Platonic nothingness that is equations that make no sense.

Have a nice day.

 

[DEFELDUS]

i got it, but another weird step is the subtracting of 2x. you dont have 2x why/how can you subtract it?

 

[Jazz Ad]

There is a strong smell of plagiarism around here.

 

[Davidoc]

Nah, it's something alot simpler than that. One of the steps breaks a basic rule of equation solving.

This rule exists because without it, You could really prove anything, because it indirectly deals with the concept of infinity.


And sure you can take 2x away from both sides without having it there in the first place. that's totally legal.

 

[Toasted]

2(a-x) is zero, fools. 2 x 0 = 0.

.'. 0=0.

 

[DEFELDUS]

Originally posted by Toastedweed
morons...fools

we're not morons or fools, its a game to see if you could figure out why thats not real. you were supposed to pm him if you couldnt figure it out. now please go back and erase your answer so others can try to figure it out without someone like you ruining it for them.

moron

 

[Nick Gann]

Originally posted by DEFELDUS
now please go back and erase your answer so others can try to figure it out without someone like you ruining it for them.

Too late

 

[Mud Flaps]

No one post the answer or what they claim to be the answer, please.

Including you Toastedweed.

 

[PollyBass]

Originally posted by Mud Flaps
No one post the answer or what they claim to be the answer, please.

Including you Toastedweed.

Why not? It's the lamest thing I've ever seen.

And F.Y.I., you can not be your own threads mod, unless you want to delete your first post, which will delete the whole thread (We can only hope).

And I'm pretty sure Toastedweed is smart enough to know he would be included with "No one".