…but it is a spending problem.
Category Archives: Mathematics
It’s Not Just Mathematics
The curious physics of domino chain reactions.
Starships And Wormholes
There’s an interesting new book
Book Bleg
Does anyone know what the plane change would have been between Columbia and the ISS (ballpark, I know it moved during the mission)? I could figure out the RAAN of Columbia from launch time, but I don’t know what it was for the ISS at the time.
[Sunday evening update]
Here’s what I added as a footnote to the chapter, as a result of discussion here:
The difference in orbital planes at the time was about ninety degrees. A sixty-degree plane change requires as much velocity as it takes to get into orbit (ignoring atmospheric drag and gravity losses), and ninety would take about forty percent more than that (or about as much as it would take to escape from earth’s orbit from the earth’s surface, again, ignoring those factors), so even if there had been a full external tank attached to the Columbia in orbit and the main engines could have been restarted, it still wouldn’t have had nearly enough propellant to get to the ISS.
FWIW.
Soulmates
Those who believe in them are much more likely to divorce. It makes sense that a marriage founded on an irrational myth is less likely to survive. There are billions of people in the world. If there’s only one right person for you, what are the odds of finding him?
Escher
Very cool.
Warp Drive
What if NASA could figure out the math?
Well, Alpha Centauri in two weeks is nothing to sneeze at. Of course, this could be a problem:
…other scientists have raised concerns that warp drive could be potentially very dangerous, potentially destroying the destination in its path.
Luddite whiners, standing in the way of progress.
Optical Illusions
Anamorphic ones.
Michael Barone
I take some pleasure in finding I have been wrong, because it’s an opportunity to learn more. As I prowl through the 2012 election statistics I will have an opportunity to learn much more about America and where we are today. A nation dissatisfied with the results of a Democratic president, Democratic Senate and Republican House has decided to return a Democratic president, Democratic Senate and Republican House. Lots to learn for all of us.
Indeed.
Imaginary Abaci
I wouldn’t be able to do this:
And the high point of the championship is the category called “Flash Anzan” – which does not require an abacus at all.
Or rather, it requires contestants to use the mental image of an abacus. Since when you get very good at the abacus it is possible to calculate simply by imagining one.
In Flash Anzan, 15 numbers are flashed consecutively on a giant screen. Each number is between 100 and 999. The challenge is to add them up.
Simple, right? Except the numbers are flashed so fast you can barely read them.
I just don’t have the capability to visualize things like that (or much of anything). It’s just not how my mind works. Some people think in pictures. I do it with words.