#math

#math

Fish Can Learn Basic MathFish may not be able to calculate complex stuff like us humans, but that doesn't mean that they can't learn math. This recent study reveals that fish, specifically bony cichlids and cartilaginous stingrays, can add and subtract small numbers. While this may be a surprise to many, the researchers were not surprised by the findings. Fish have already been shown to distinguish between relative quantities before. However, this study reveals how fish, without fingers, manipulate small numbers. Not all cichlids and stingrays finished their training. However, those who did are said to have "performed well above chance." This means that fish are not stupid, contrary to statements used to excuse awful fishing practices. (Image Credit: Schluessel et al. (2022)) #Math #Fish #AnimalWonders #Zoology

Doing Calculus IS a Superpower!In the X-Men comics, Professor X named his school the "Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters" but didn't exactly specify what kind of unique "gifts" he's talking about.Obviously, different X-men characters have different powers: Cyclops can shoot laser beams from his eyes. Wolverine has amazing healing powers. And Beast has ... well, he's blue and can do calculus!This Pudinawala Comics panel made us chuckle and then nod in complete agreement because doing calculus is a superpower!#math #mathematics #calculus #PudinawalaComics #XMen #superpower #comicsvia Geeks Are Sexy

Ancient Clay Tablet Showed that Applied Geometry was Used in Babylon 1,000 Years Before PythagorasAn ancient clay tablet that's been hiding in plain sight in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum in Turkey for over a century turned out to be the oldest example of applied geometry.The 3,700-year-old tablet known as Si.427 dated from the Old Babylonian period. "It’s the only known example of a cadastral document from the OB period, which is a plan used by surveyors to define land boundaries," said Daniel Mansfield of University of New South Wales in Australia. "In this case, it tells us legal and geometric details about a field that’s split after some of it was sold off," he added.The tablet uses number sets known as Pythagorean triplesto make accurate  right angles, but it was made 1,000 years before the Greek philosopher Pythagoras developed the geometric principles now known as the Pythagorean theorem.Image: University of New South Wales#math #mathematics #Babylon #claytablet #appliedgeometry #geometry #PythagoreanTriples #PythagoreanTheorem #landsurveyor

That Time When Columbia Students Burned Calculus. In The Sky.he studThen dance in pajamas!This New York Times article from 1915 documented a strange math tradition where sophomores from Columbia University would create an effigy called "Dr Calculus" then "tie [him] to balloons and send him heavenward in flames then dance in pajamas."Well, we fully understand why students hate studying calculus. It does have a steep learning curve.Via Math with Bad Drawings#math #calculus #newspaperheadline #pajama #effigy