Remedial math: (5x)/(100x)=15 ?

Currald · Post by **Currald** » 2003-01-02 04:45am

Now, I was doing some calculations, taking a variety of equations and data points and trying to find the mass of a ship. I ended up with this "equation": (5x)/(100x)=15, where x is the ship's mass.
Now this looks fairly silly to me, rather like saying 0.05=15, but I'll be the first to admit that my math skills have atrophied to the vestigal point. Is there any way to solve this for x?

Raxmei · Post by **Raxmei** » 2003-01-02 04:47am

No. Check your previous calculations for error.

Currald · Post by **Currald** » 2003-01-02 04:51am

Oh well. Thanks. I guess I just don't have enough data to find out what I want to find out. Alas.

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2003-01-02 04:51am

I got x=3 or x=0, but then again, I probably fucked up horribly.

Sienthal · Post by **Sienthal** » 2003-01-02 04:59am

The equation is flawed.
The only way to get a number greater than one in an equation like that would be to have the dividing number (The 100x) be less than 1 (IE: 10/.1=100). Now, the equation could fit to be 5x/100x=.05

15 would not be possible, however.

Sienthal · Post by **Sienthal** » 2003-01-02 05:02am

JediNeophyte wrote:I got x=3 or x=0, but then again, I probably fucked up horribly.

Did you try those in the equation?

5(0)/100(0)=15?
0/0 doesn't equal 15, hehe

5(3)/100(3)=15
15/300=.05

.05 is the only thing that this equation can bring, aside from 0, hehe

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2003-01-02 05:03am

Sienthal wrote:
JediNeophyte wrote:I got x=3 or x=0, but then again, I probably fucked up horribly.

Did you try those in the equation?

5(0)/100(0)=15?
0/0 doesn't equal 15, hehe

5(3)/100(3)=15
15/300=.05

.05 is the only thing that this equation can bring, aside from 0, hehe

Well that's why I suck at math

Sienthal · Post by **Sienthal** » 2003-01-02 05:04am

No prob my friend, we all have our faults, me with girls for example,

Cthulhu-chan · Post by **Cthulhu-chan** » 2003-01-02 03:44pm

Hrmm...

(5x)/(100x) = 15

(5/100)x = 15

(1/20)x = 15

20 * ((1/20)x) = 15 * 20

x = 300

Pretty sure that's right.

Edit: blargh. Never mind, it's been too long. The equation is flawed.

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2003-01-02 04:49pm

Sienthal wrote:
JediNeophyte wrote:I got x=3 or x=0, but then again, I probably fucked up horribly.

Did you try those in the equation?

5(0)/100(0)=15?
0/0 doesn't equal 15, hehe

5(3)/100(3)=15
15/300=.05

.05 is the only thing that this equation can bring, aside from 0, hehe

Your matrhis wrong. 0 / 0 = undefined.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-01-02 04:52pm

(5x)/(100x) =?= 15

The x's will cancel out, so you are left with

5/100 =?= 15
1/20 =?= 15
1/20 =/= 15

The statement is, therefore, false.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-01-02 04:53pm

There is no answer for x. Whatever you put in, with the exception of zero, will yield 0.5. This is because x is being devided by itself, thus canceling itself out. When you simplify the equation, you get 5/100=15, which is obviously eroneous.

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » 2003-01-02 06:43pm

Cthulhu-chan wrote:Hrmm...

(5x)/(100x) = 15

(5/100)x = 15

(1/20)x = 15

20 * ((1/20)x) = 15 * 20

x = 300

Pretty sure that's right.

Edit: blargh. Never mind, it's been too long. The equation is flawed.

The x's cancel.

5x/100x=15
5/100=15
0.05=15

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-01-02 08:34pm

It's Darkstar math.

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-01-02 09:29pm

Maybe somebody should try plugging in imaginary numbers...

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-01-02 09:44pm

Exonerate wrote:Maybe somebody should try plugging in imaginary numbers...

Why? Imaginary numbers cancel out when you divide the same one by itself, just like every other number.

Currald · Post by **Currald** » 2003-01-03 04:25am

Plus, I don't think they'd help me determine the ship's mass, either. I've given it some more thought, and it is definately impossible to determine the mass with the data I have. It's close... one more data point just about anywhere would do the trick, but not close enough. (sigh)