Accessible Gardening: #21 Practical Matters for Phsically Challenged Gardeners, 1 by Agavegirl1

Agavegirl1 wrote:
O.K.,
In regards to the math thing supposedly 65 is right according to an UNDERGRADUATE at Cambridge University. We\'ll say 65 and I\'m a math idiot.

Interesting though as I asked my friend Corrine at Boeing. She designs airplane landing gear for them. Yep designs it. Comes up with how much space is needed between the wheels, what pressure and weight the tires can endure, how much space is needed between them and the wing span, how to absorb the shock and impact of landing, etc. You know all the things in our combined mental capacity we could never absorb.

So, I sent her a copy of the question and via fax she responded.
For grins and giggles here is Corrine\'s response:

\"If it is really a math question, math is hard and requires thought. And you can still make a mistake which gives the asker free sneering rights. If it is a puzzle or trick question and someone made us THINKS...only so they could say \'nah-nah-Nye-nah-nah\' then #$%@ them.

So, like work, avoidance is the key.

The question can\'t be answered. They didn\'t say how many more stops occurred before they said \'63 now\'. Indeterminate number, insufficient information.

Besides 19 people got OFF at the \'first stop\'? I get to define the station the train ORIGINALLY left from as a \'stop\' because I can make up arbitrary rules for arbitrary question! By my definition, 19 people got off [b] before any passengers could have even gotten on, so the question\'s assumption was impossible. Unless they meant 63 people had hiccups NOW.

If I had to guess instead of just inflicting pay-back irritation on the puzzle poser, I\'d say: Reword the problem to eliminate the unintended ambiguity about \'other stops\'.
There were N people on the train at time T0.
No one gets on or off except the following:
...19 people get off the train at T1 (T1= T0 + X for positive X)
...17 people get off the train at T1
There are 63 people on the train very shortly after T1.
How many people were on the train at T0?

-19 and + 17 nets \'two net people who got off at T1\'
If there are 63 people left after 2 got off, N - 2 = 63.

So I guess there were 65 to start with?

As a rule I have learned to focus religiously on the extra credit questions on the tests that were tricks and less of my time answering actual test questions projected onto paper in math teacher\'s less-than-clear English. This is how I got a \'B\' in both Calculus and Physics class.

I will have to check my sons\' homework closer. I did not know Calculus was being taught to 7 year olds.\"
Corrine

So that ends the math debate. All those who guessed or were smart enough to do Calculus congrats. For the rest of us hopefully our creativity and ability to B.S. would have given us merit points and a \'C-\' for effort and mental contortions.

My personal feelings about math such as this is WTFE.
I have my college degree.
No employer has ever asked me what grade I got in math class or to work out a story problem on my application or in a job interview especially since I have never applied for employment at Boeing or JPL and I am not 7 years old.

On a more positive note. Tom Jones has released a new song called \"Style and Rhythm\" YIPPEE! Love me some Tom Jones. Was thrilled I got the opportunity to see him live a few years ago. Hate Vegas.

Just a personal opinion. Solely Jacqueline speaking here with no expectations of anyone agreeing with me and hoping no one takes offense at an honest, personal and direct personal opinion relegated only to me.....
BUT-------- please indulge me and endure my personal rant---------
I find Vegas to be the Mecca of all that is tacky, tasteless and the prime example of the sum of all of America\'s lowest common denominators and stereotypes. Bored out of my skull every time I go there since I don\'t gamble or patronize prostitutes (legal btw) or hang out in the rest of the state which is entirely comprised of conservatives and firm believers and ardent followers of fringe religions.
Only reason I have ever been subjected to the place 2 times was due to a business training seminar that was required and once to appease my husband and shut him up.
Compromise was that I would go providing we stay at a nice hotel not some cheap, second rate one at the lower end of the strip. Decided on the Venetian and while he gambled I enjoyed the spa and amenities.
Will say Vegas\'s two redeeming features are the fact that there are infinite amount of very good restaurants and that there can be good shopping.

And if you\'re lucky you can find an artist performing that is not a \'has been\' that should have retired 20 years ago but refuses to because there are still 10 people left alive from the Lawrence Whelk generation keeping him out of bankruptcy court.

Thus I was thrilled when I stumbled across Tom Jones as it was not advertised that he was performing. :D
Small venue. Excellent seats. He gave a 2 hour performance and sounded as good live as he did on a cleaned up, edited recording. Guy still got it!

Mr. Crab our little traveling companion who goes everywhere with us and shares all of our adventures was thrilled too.

Speaking of thrilled the cacti are blooming once again. :D Last hurrah before next week as it is due to be in the triple digits and our low will be 95 degrees. Summer is here so let the cave dwelling begin. Sigh on that.

Mr. Crab went shopping with me.
Mr. Crab enjoyed some complimentary champagne in the suite upon check in.
Mr. Crab was thrilled to see Tom Jones live!
Cactus flowers in bloom now.
--First is Chamaelobivia v. \'Rose Quartz\' .
--Second is some kind of Echinocactus but it has been nothing but a bloom factory and keeps going with these orange flowers! Love the fact that they\'re orange as I have tons of red, white and some yellow and pink. These are my only orange ones! :D

Again thanks for enduring the Vegas rant. Eye Roll. Feel free to express opinions about L.A. and or other places one does not like. My joke is one man\'s Ford Pinto is another man\'s Ferrari or Porsche. It is all subjective and a matter of taste.

Song for the day, \"Style and Rhythm\" by you guessed it....Tom Jones!