And People Say Math Has No Practical Applications

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**LordofHats**

A physicist at the University of California San Diego used his knowledge of measuring bodies in motion to show in court why he couldn't be guilty of a ticket for failing to halt at a stop sign. The argument, now a four-page paper delving into the differences between angular and linear motion, supposedly got the physicist out of a $400 ticket. If you want to use this excuse, you'll have to learn a little math -- and some powers of persuasion.

The paper by Dmitri Krioukov titled "The Proof of Innocence," notes in the abstract that it's "a way to fight your traffic tickets," and was "awarded a special prize of $400 that the author did not have to pay to the state of California." (It's also posted with a date of April 1, so downloader beware.) Krioukov claims he was approaching a stop sign in his Toyota Yaris when a police officer saw him roll through the intersection, apparently without stopping, and pulled him over. Case closed — except that Krioukov says he was able to show a confluence of events that only made it seem he hadn't stopped.

First, the officer was watching the stop sign saw Krioukov's car from the side, distorting his idea of how fast Krioukov was traveling before the stop. At the stop sign itself, Krioukov contended he had stopped — but the officer's view was briefly blocked by a passing car. When Krioukov started again, the officer's sense of Krioukov's speed made it seem he had never stopped at all.

Krioukov told PhysicsCentral that the case and his argument were real, but that he left a flaw in his work for others to find, and sure enough a few commenters found the Yaris-based defect quickly. Leave it to a physicist to create an explanation that ends with people doubting whether the problem explained actually existed at all.

Pretty funny

**Samus_aran115**

That's awesome. Still doesn't make a physics degree seem appealing though

Automatically Appended Next Post:
That's awesome. Still doesn't make a physics degree seem appealing though

**Corpsesarefun**

People who say mathematics has no practical applications should really remove themselves from the genepool or at least stop using any form of technology.

**Chowderhead**

Math is for the elitists who want to take away my jobs and put me on a death panel!

'Merica is a land where you don't have to edumacate me math! USA! USA!

**blood reaper**

Math is the basis for most forms of a good education, saying it's pointless is the greatest form of fail.

**Corpsesarefun**

It's also the basis for pretty much every technological advance ever.

**Manchu**

blood reaper wrote:Math is the basis for most forms of a good education

What?

**Kilkrazy**

From http://thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=math

**Vulcan**

Corpsesarefun wrote:People who say mathematics has no practical applications should really remove themselves from the genepool or at least stop using any form of technology.

Or money, for that matter.

I've always fould it hilarious that women who claim they 'can't do fractions and percentages' can always tell you to the penny how much money they saved at the big sale...

**DarkCorsair**

I think when people say math is pointless they're talking about things like systems of linear inequalities or set builder notation that most people will never use in their life. I literally asked my 8th grade math teacher when we're ever going to use this and she said "Um...you aren't."

**Kilkrazy**

I presume you were sitting in the back row and she wanted to let you down gently.

**DarkCorsair**

Kilkrazy wrote:I presume you were sitting in the back row and she wanted to let you down gently.

If you're hinting that I "wasn't doing well in the class" I'll have you know I finished with a 99 average

But it's the stuff that's like {x|x=E a | x} or whatever it was. I mean, how many of you have ever needed to use set builder notation in real life outside of school?

**SilverMK2**

DarkCorsair wrote:If you're hinting that I "wasn't doing well in the class" I'll have you know I finished with a 99 average

But it's the stuff that's like {x|x=E a | x} or whatever it was. I mean, how many of you have ever needed to use set builder notation in real life outside of school?

There are plenty of occupations which use maths of various levels of complexity in every day operations; engineering for example.

**DarkCorsair**

SilverMK2 wrote:
DarkCorsair wrote:If you're hinting that I "wasn't doing well in the class" I'll have you know I finished with a 99 average

But it's the stuff that's like {x|x=E a | x} or whatever it was. I mean, how many of you have ever needed to use set builder notation in real life outside of school?

There are plenty of occupations which use maths of various levels of complexity in every day operations; engineering for example.

Well certainly, and I understand that much of the stuff learned in State curriculum is needed in specific jobs. However, I'm trying to explain why the majority of the populace views higher level math as pointless in will never have an application in their life. For example, my parents, my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle have never had to use this stuff for their jobs (marine corps, navy, teacher, jazz singer, photographer, part-owner of an electrical company). It's not because they're stupid, it's because they legitimately never use it in their life.

**Kilkrazy**

DarkCorsair wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:I presume you were sitting in the back row and she wanted to let you down gently.

If you're hinting that I "wasn't doing well in the class" I'll have you know I finished with a 99 average

But it's the stuff that's like {x|x=E a | x} or whatever it was. I mean, how many of you have ever needed to use set builder notation in real life outside of school?

I was ribbing you a bit.

There are plenty of professions in which all sorts of fairly complex applied maths is used.

A programmer would be more likely to use set notation.

As a manager, I have used plenty of stats, compounding equations, probability, etc.

Grade 8 is about the time that children start to differentiate from basic general education and start to specialise a bit more. Most of them are going to go into non-technical pursuits and some of them will do something that needs a high level of maths.

**Manchu**

That account seems to privilege people who know more complicated math over those who do not. But that doesn't seem to be the case according to quite a few measurements of privilege.

Well, I should say, that account in the context of the tone in the thread generally. On it's own the statement is quite neutral.

**Kilkrazy**

The North Korean rocket scientists probably with they knew a bit more maths.

**Manchu**

But the leaders, dear and otherwise, have been content not to learn it themselves. Very much like most places, that.

**Kilkrazy**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I

**Manchu**

On American TV, all these jerks would be silenced by the presence of the President.

**sirlynchmob**

DarkCorsair wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:I presume you were sitting in the back row and she wanted to let you down gently.

If you're hinting that I "wasn't doing well in the class" I'll have you know I finished with a 99 average

But it's the stuff that's like {x|x=E a | x} or whatever it was. I mean, how many of you have ever needed to use set builder notation in real life outside of school?

While I never used that formula, I did use quite a few formulas in my job. I was an electrician, so I can solve for P=I^2*r

I also considered getting this tattoo (just the circle) between my thumb and forefinger

I know what all that stuff means

**Kilkrazy**

Manchu wrote:On American TV, all these jerks would be silenced by the presence of the President.

That is why it is called the Land of the Free.

**filbert**

I wish I had learnt more maths when I had the chance. To this day I have no idea how to do long division because my dad took me on holiday to France when it was being taught to my class.

**Manchu**

Kilkrazy wrote:
Manchu wrote:On American TV, all these jerks would be silenced by the presence of the President.
That is why it is called the Land of the Free.

Yes, hypothetically, anyone can be President.

**purplefood**

Manchu wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
Manchu wrote:On American TV, all these jerks would be silenced by the presence of the President.
That is why it is called the Land of the Free.
Yes, hypothetically, anyone can be President.

Apart from convicts and foreigners...

**Manchu**

A convicted criminal can be elected President.

And a foreigner could hypothetically start a successful campaign to amend the Constitution and then also be elected President.

**Kilkrazy**

Obama became president!

**sirlynchmob**

Manchu wrote:A convicted criminal can be elected President.

And a foreigner could hypothetically start a successful campaign to amend the Constitution and then also be elected President.

We have a few more amendments to get through before we can get to the 61st Amendment. We're at 27.

Obscure reference FTW

**nomsheep**

Math is useless, who needs that

Carry on down the road until you reach the road that bisects at a 90 degree angle. (i think that's right, lol)

NOm

**J.Black**

Maths is great if you ever have to run a business of any kind.

Some understanding of statistical analysis - or even just knowing how to make a graph - is really helpful.

That said, I can still remember imaginary numbers, matrices, partial differentiation and integrating by parts from my university days.... Those things have no real use outside of specialised research jobs or drunkenly proving that 1=0 in the pub.

Like most things in life; learn enough to get by then move on to a new skill.