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18/11/09

Mathematics for Dummies!

We did some multiplication in the last post, and it got me thinking about how I used to do my Maths orally when I was a kid… they say all Maths is based on one simple principle! The principle of “Addition”… all other calculations, BODMAS (Bracket, Of, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction), and so on and so forth is a function of how you apply addition to it… So much so, that if you want to subtract something, you apply addition of negatives to the original and VOILA you have a smaller value!!! To demonstrate my point for the uninitiated, here is how it works

What is 2X2? 4! Right? How do you reach that number, by adding 2 twice! So 2+2 = 4 and 2X2 = 4. Let’s talk more what is 13X4? (no calculators please)! It is 13 added 4 times, or to make it simpler its (10+3)X4 = 10X4 +3X4 = 40+12 = 52! Easy peezie Jappaneezee!

I remember doing all my mathematics this way!!! And that is why I could never remember the tables after 12… for some reason, I took a while adding 13 more than 5 times! Damn it!

The mantra is : Break it down into smaller blocks, and simplify to an extent that it seems to be the easiest problem ever!

This makes so much sense in the real world too… outside mathematics I meant!

Professionally, we apply the same fundamentals to do project planning, resourcing, effort management, strategy alignment and so on and so forth!

Personally!

We add (how much good we felt in the first meeting) to (how much we feel like meeting again) and reach (finding a way to meet the person again)

We multiply our (pleasure in meeting someone) to (number of times we met) and reach (liking)

We multiple our (liking) to (number of Goosebumps) and (percentage of increase in heart rate) to reach (excitement)

We know our parents love us because we add (ability to accept us like we grow up) to (selflessness of being a parent)

We add (how much we loved the person) to (how much negative love we got or how much attention/reciprocation we get) to reach (how much does it matter now) {{Of course you can be weak at mathematics and continue loving the person irrespective of the negatives that you get, screw your equations and get into a negative state of mind, where you cannot feel positive! Not even about being yourself and blame yourself for everything}}

And so on and so forth!!!



So like I said! It’s all mathematics! If you did you sums right when you were in kindergarten and ate your green leafy veggies, you might be able to handle life better! If not, too bad! Go teach a kid how to do his sums and learn something about Maths!

Life is better that way!

9 comments:

  1. Now that is awesome ! A very very very interesting post after a very very very long time.. ;)

    Like the funda .. totally agree !

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  2. WOW!!!

    kaash! mera school main Maths ka teacher tera jaisa hota, Omzi :)

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  3. fantastic.....

    thought i have to say...my mathskills suffer poorly too, right along with hindi.....and is guess that i why...without even spending too much time with some people my liking for them is exponentially high.

    yes totally agree teaching kids is the best way to learn...

    really enjoy the creativity of your mind in these analogies....

    and peezie, there is a suggestion from a fifth grader learning math from your post that ...perhaps you could also say easy peezie lemon squeezie ;]

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  4. Excellent post and analogies!

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  5. Awww..how thoughtful.. See I told you, your posts make "a lot" of sense. :)

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  6. What a connection sir ji!!
    mazaa aa gaya pad ke

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  7. Amazing calculations... I never thought Maths can be so interesting whenapplied in Personal lives... This was one subject which I just dragged till class X .. and then happily moved to bio sciences later thinking studying flowers/ animals could be more interesting.. But must say you changed my perspective .........cool

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  8. @ Shivi
    glad it makes sense..

    @ Swati
    maths ka teacher achcha hoga, tumne hi padai nahin ki hogi theek se!!!

    @ J
    lagta hai thoda sa explain karna padega... complex equation hai...

    for most cases, the hypothesis that time is a factor which increases the amount of liking comes out to be true... in some complex equations, time is an inversly proportion factor to liking as well... kehte hain femiliarity breeds contempt !!!

    and in some unique equations, time is one of the variables, and inter-gallactic forces add a few statistical constants to increase the liking exponentially!!! perfect mathematical situations hain wo bhi!!!

    Peezie wala suggestion is nice :)

    @ Jas
    Shukriya

    @ Sam
    hehehe... achcha hai :)

    @ Vaishali
    shukriya

    @ Reetika
    we just do not realise it i guess, otherwise its mathematics everywhere... knowing it just tends to simply a few things!!!!

    good that it helped with the perspective!

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  9. ittne complexity se simplify kiya ...mazza aagaya...yeah brian teaser reply pad kar.

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