Acensky 0 #1 February 11, 2005 I am in a math for geologists class and I am totaly lost on this one problem: Prove that if w=3y/(4z) and x=2y/(4z) then w/x = 1.5 Please Help!! HeatherGarbage bags do not make good parachutes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ccowden 0 #2 February 11, 2005 um.....yellow? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RoadRash 0 #3 February 11, 2005 I can't believe I am gonna say this...but that's easy... I'm terrible at explaining it though...more or less you end up with 3/2... I'll give it a shot...here: 3y/4z divided by 2y/4z...<----You flip 2y/4z...the two 4zs are now gone...you are left with 3y/2y...the y is gone...left with 3/2...or 1.5... ~R+R...~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Fly the friendly skies...^_^...})ii({...^_~... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kai2k1 0 #4 February 11, 2005 I believe the correct answer is C There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #5 February 11, 2005 Quote I am in a math for geologists class and I am totaly lost on this one problem: Prove that if w=3y/(4z) and x=2y/(4z) then w/x = 1.5 (3y/(4z)) / (2y/(4z)) *4z = 3y / 2y / y = 3/2 = 1.5 I think... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #6 February 11, 2005 hey cool, a problem I can solve... you want to know w/x, you are given w and you are given x, lump them together as a big fraction, and cancel any like terms in the numerator and the denominator. When you do this you are essentially multiplying the whole thing by 1, so you're not changing its value. /eta: If you want to be a smart ass you can point out w/x doesn't equal 1.5 when z or y is 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #7 February 11, 2005 Yeah, they're right. /remembers proofs.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #8 February 11, 2005 BUY A VOWEL AND SPIN AGAIN!!! __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cornholio 0 #9 February 11, 2005 BIG MONEY !! NO WAMMIES NO WAMMIES!! er...oh, wrong game show, sorry. Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast! Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool! bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTAVercetti 0 #10 February 11, 2005 Quote I am in a math for geologists class and I am totaly lost on this one problem: Prove that if w=3y/(4z) and x=2y/(4z) then w/x = 1.5 Please Help!! Heather Where is the trig? Looks like algebra to me!Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #11 February 11, 2005 QuoteWhere is the trig? Looks like algebra to me! "Let w and x be two sides of a triangle..." there, happy? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acensky 0 #12 February 11, 2005 Thank you everyone who helped out. now it looks easy. I think I am getting this math thing down. Thanks so much Garbage bags do not make good parachutes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loumeinhart 0 #13 February 11, 2005 right,.... in highschool we made zig-zags on the bubble tests Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miniskydiver 0 #14 February 11, 2005 Just out of interest. If you want to know the proof for virtually any maths (math for Yanks) theory check this out: http://metamath.planetmirror.com/mpegif/mmset.html It evens proves that 2+2=4. Edited to add: BTW, to completely prove that 2+2=4 you need to folllow 21,969 steps! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTAVercetti 0 #15 February 11, 2005 QuoteQuoteWhere is the trig? Looks like algebra to me! "Let w and x be two sides of a triangle..." there, happy? Yes. A little bit yeah. Went to that math website. Just as I thought. No Fermat's last theorem. But then again, only about 15 people in the world actually understand the whole thing and it IS over 300 pages long! Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #16 February 11, 2005 Quote/eta: If you want to be a smart ass you can point out w/x doesn't equal 1.5 when z or y is 0 If you want to be real smartass, use limits to note that the answer is 1.5 even when z or y or both equal zero. {w or x may very well be undefined, but w/x is 3/2} ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #17 February 11, 2005 Quote I am in a math for geologists class and I am totaly lost on this one problem: Prove that if w=3y/(4z) and x=2y/(4z) then w/x = 1.5 Please Help!! Heather If that's math for geologists, then geologists must have rocks in their heads. Looks more like an 9th grade (algebra 1) problem to me.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #18 February 11, 2005 Quote If you want to be real smartass, use limits to note that the answer is 1.5 even when z or y or both equal zero. {w or x may very well be undefined, but w/x is 3/2} Of course, you have to remember that if X was zero, w/x becomes infinitely large. No one wants that to happen. Or as x approaches zero, w approaches 1.5 times zero, so it may just approach one, in which case w/x = 1, and w/x = 3/2. 1 would equal 1.5. 1 only equals 1.5 when you are ordering french fries and you know the girl behind the counter, so she gives you extras. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #19 February 11, 2005 QuoteOf course, you have to remember that if X was zero, w/x becomes infinitely large. No one wants that to happen. If you have a ratio of rational functions, and the denominator goes to zero, the function goes to infinity and is called "undefined." If you have a ratio of rational functions, and both the numerator and denominator go to zero, then the function goes to 0/0 and is called "indeterminate" I this case, the former can't happen, w->0 iff x->0 using L'Hopital's Rule you can find the limit of the whole thing as y or z goes to zero which is, as rehmwa pointed out, still 3/2. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #20 February 11, 2005 Ok, after all the simplification, the end result is w/x = 1.5, right? Multiply both sides by X and you get w = 1.5 x If x was zero, then w would be zero. Besides, I just saw someone mention limits and I love to mess with that stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Acensky 0 #21 February 11, 2005 That was one of the easier questions too. I just haven't had math since Junior year of H.S. It wasn't that long ago but enough for me to forget most of it. Brain farts are the worst thing to have HeatherGarbage bags do not make good parachutes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rehmwa 2 #22 February 11, 2005 QuoteOk, after all the simplification, the end result is w/x = 1.5, right? Multiply both sides by X and you get w = 1.5 x If x was zero, then w would be zero. Besides, I just saw someone mention limits and I love to mess with that stuff. I, also, enjoy pie. Sometimes with ice cream. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DrewGPM 0 #23 February 11, 2005 QuoteQuote I am in a math for geologists class and I am totaly lost on this one problem: Prove that if w=3y/(4z) and x=2y/(4z) then w/x = 1.5 (3y/(4z)) / (2y/(4z)) *4z = 3y / 2y / y = 3/2 = 1.5 I think... Another way to solve it... The 2nd equation says that x=2y/4z which means that y=2zx substitute the y value into the first equation and you get w=3(2zx)/4z or w=6zx/4z The z's cancel each other so w=3x/2 therefore w/x = 3/2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
Acensky 0 #21 February 11, 2005 That was one of the easier questions too. I just haven't had math since Junior year of H.S. It wasn't that long ago but enough for me to forget most of it. Brain farts are the worst thing to have HeatherGarbage bags do not make good parachutes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #22 February 11, 2005 QuoteOk, after all the simplification, the end result is w/x = 1.5, right? Multiply both sides by X and you get w = 1.5 x If x was zero, then w would be zero. Besides, I just saw someone mention limits and I love to mess with that stuff. I, also, enjoy pie. Sometimes with ice cream. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewGPM 0 #23 February 11, 2005 QuoteQuote I am in a math for geologists class and I am totaly lost on this one problem: Prove that if w=3y/(4z) and x=2y/(4z) then w/x = 1.5 (3y/(4z)) / (2y/(4z)) *4z = 3y / 2y / y = 3/2 = 1.5 I think... Another way to solve it... The 2nd equation says that x=2y/4z which means that y=2zx substitute the y value into the first equation and you get w=3(2zx)/4z or w=6zx/4z The z's cancel each other so w=3x/2 therefore w/x = 3/2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites