Science Nerd Friends

76tech

Bioinformatics programmer reporting in. DNA transcription and expression, microarray stuff, also some neuroscience and behavioral stuff I know my thymine from my uracil, if you know what I mean, *wink wink* *nudge nudge*

SueGremlin

Bioinformatics programmer reporting in. DNA transcription and expression, microarray stuff, also some neuroscience and behavioral stuff I know my thymine from my uracil, if you know what I mean, *wink wink* *nudge nudge*

Nice base pairs, baybee.

HuskyMan3

I watched Quincy on TV growing up. Does that count?

rkr22401

Let x = y
Multiply by x: x^2 = xy
Subtract y^2: x^2 - y^2 = xy - y^2
Factor: (x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)
Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
Leaves: x + y = y
But x = y, so substitute to get: y + y = y
Combine: 2 y = y
Common term (y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
2 = 1

Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out...

Or not.

vjrose

B.S and MSc in Marine biology, background in geology, fire ecology, plant ecology and GIS, lol. guess that qualifies me as a nerd. Also huge SciFi reader, follow the curiousity Rover on Twitter, and give the "sciency" answer when my MFP pals asked a question that needs it, lol. I also work as a biology lab tech prepping labs at a university.

sapphireswi

Bachelors in Microbiology and Biochem and Masters in Biotechnology I love M.orgs

SeaRunner26

Let x = y
Multiply by x: x^2 = xy
Subtract y^2: x^2 - y^2 = xy - y^2
Factor: (x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)
Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
Leaves: x + y = y
But x = y, so substitute to get: y + y = y
Combine: 2 y = y
Common term (y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
2 = 1

Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out...

Or not.

It was the common term line. You can't divide by zero. Since x=y, x-y = 0.

BTW, my degree is bachelors of science in civil engineering, but I love math, physics, and chemistry. Totally a nerd.

SeaRunner26

Here's and interesting one:

Take the infinite series 1/1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + 1/9 - 1/11 +1/13 - 1/15 ...

Then multiply the whole mess by four.

Any guesses as to the final result?

sapphireswi

I suck at maths :sad: :sad: :sad:
which is why I life sciences

Humbugsftw

Last year of a degree in Philosophy and Psychology with interests in Neuroscience, Evolutionary Biology, Astronomy/astrophysics, pharmacokinetics, infectious diseases etc. Applying for Med School this year and also for a Neuroscience Masters. I think I'm well qualified to be called a science nerd

GiddyupTim

I'm an electrical engineer but I wouldn't call myself a nerd!

Hilarious! I just spit my coffee all over the keyboard. You people are soooo funny!

Hey, Quincy watcher,
Do you remember the one where medical examiner Quincy solved the crime, and saved his own life, while laying in a hospital bed unconscious during the entire program?
He lay there, and his assistant and the detective stood at his bedside and they were stumped over what had happened with him. Well, they had no idea what to do. So, they asked themselves: 'What would Quincy do?' One of them would recall something Quincy had done, and there would be a flashback, and they would go try the same thing. Of course, it would work. There were about five flashbacks to solve the case.
Now, that is one very boss medical examiner!

DonM46

Here's and interesting one:

Take the infinite series 1/1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + 1/9 - 1/11 +1/13 - 1/15 ...

Then multiply the whole mess by four.

Any guesses as to the final result?

I like pecan best, but coconut runs a close second.

algebravoodoo

Let x = y
Multiply by x: x^2 = xy
Subtract y^2: x^2 - y^2 = xy - y^2
Factor: (x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)
Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
Leaves: x + y = y
But x = y, so substitute to get: y + y = y
Combine: 2 y = y
Common term (y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
2 = 1

Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out...

Or not.

It was the common term line. You can't divide by zero. Since x=y, x-y = 0.

BTW, my degree is bachelors of science in civil engineering, but I love math, physics, and chemistry. Totally a nerd.

Actually, one could have stopped at the "Factor: (x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)" line and ignored the "Factor" part.

(x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)
Since x=y, x - y =0
ergo
(x + y) (0) = y (0)
0 = 0

This is a problem I have given my kids for error analysis. It takes a little while, but they usually get it.

DonM46

Yeah, but 0=0 isn't nearly as interesting as 2=1.

The_Enginerd

Try this one:
Pick any positive number (greater than zero, less than infinity).
Take the square root.
Multiply the result by 2.
Take the square roof of that number, and double the result.
Continue until the loop becomes trivial, and note the final answer.
Based on that, predict the "final" result when doing the same exercise, instead of multiplying by 2, multiply by 3, 4.2801, or any positive number.

I take this as x(n+1)=a*sqrt(x(n))
Then x approaches a^2 as n increases no matter what x(0) was chosen to be.
In the case of 2, x approaches 4. For 3, x appoaches 9, and so on.

I proved it to myself using powers and the fact that the series 1+1/2+1/4+1/8+... approaches 2 as the number of terms increases, but it's not so easy to write this proof in a text only form.

DrMAvDPhD

I have my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Chemistry, and am about 1.5 years out from my PhD.

DonM46

I take this as x(n+1)=a*sqrt(x(n))
Then x approaches a^2 as n increases no matter what x(0) was chosen to be.
In the case of 2, x approaches 4. For 3, x appoaches 9, and so on.

I proved it to myself using powers and the fact that the series 1+1/2+1/4+1/8+... approaches 2 as the number of terms increases, but it's not so easy to write this proof in a text only form.

Yep, it converges to the square of the coefficient of the radical.
I was playing with a programmable calculator back in the 60s when I noticed the pattern.
I thought it was just 'neat' enough to submit to Texas Engineering and Science Magazine. I suppose they liked it b/c they put it in the mag.
Again, playing with a programmable calculator with graphing capability, I noticed another strange progression (of sorts).
Pick a number other than 1, call it x.
(Plot it on the Y axis at n = 0, with n on the X axis.)
Subtract the reciprocal to get x - (1/x).
(Plot that at n = 1.)
Take the reciprocal of that to get x - (1/x) - [1/(x - (1/x))].
(Yes, the limitations of a text only format ....)
Keep going long enough, and the value plummets across the X axis, then comes back up again. It's better to start with a small value or the graph will look flat (horizontal) for a long time. {1000 - 1/1000 = 999.999}
Pick 4.
4 - 1/4 = 3.75
3.75 - 1/3.75 =3.483333
3.483333 - 1/3.4833333 = 3.19625
3.19625 - 1/3.19625 = 2.88338
2.88338 - 1/2.88338 = 2.53657
2.53657 - 1/2.53657 = 2.142338
2.142338 - 1/2.142338 = 1.675556
1.675556 - 1/1.675556 = 1.07874
1.07874 - 1/1.07874 = 0.927005
Here it comes!
0.927005 - 1/0.927005 = -0.1517
-0.1517 - 1/(-0.1517) = 6.4386
ad infinitum.
Create a "family" of curves by leaving that plot up, pick another number, and do the exercise again.
I've got 3 on mine right now, different colors.

jplord

Did my BSc in geology/math/physics at Brown U. Then after 4 years overseas doing oil exploration I went to Rice U for a MA in geology. SO I consider myself a macrobiotic geologist.

Brown Rice?

Get it?

SeaRunner26

Let x = y
Multiply by x: x^2 = xy
Subtract y^2: x^2 - y^2 = xy - y^2
Factor: (x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)
Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
Leaves: x + y = y
But x = y, so substitute to get: y + y = y
Combine: 2 y = y
Common term (y) on both sides, so cancel it out.
2 = 1

Common term (x - y) on both sides, so cancel it out...

Or not.

It was the common term line. You can't divide by zero. Since x=y, x-y = 0.

BTW, my degree is bachelors of science in civil engineering, but I love math, physics, and chemistry. Totally a nerd.

Actually, one could have stopped at the "Factor: (x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)" line and ignored the "Factor" part.

(x + y) (x - y) = y (x - y)
Since x=y, x - y =0
ergo
(x + y) (0) = y (0)
0 = 0

This is a problem I have given my kids for error analysis. It takes a little while, but they usually get it.

I don't think you could stop there since 0=0 is still a true statement. It's not till you violate the rules of math that we get into trouble.

SeaRunner26

Here's and interesting one:

Take the infinite series 1/1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + 1/9 - 1/11 +1/13 - 1/15 ...

Then multiply the whole mess by four.

Any guesses as to the final result?

I like pecan best, but coconut runs a close second.

Nicely played!