If you don't like what I'm saying, then I'm probably saying it right. All opinions are ethically sourced from my ass. My ass is smarter than most people.
Your head, rent free.
- Tweets 4,998
- Following 369
- Followers 244
- Likes 18,798
Why calculators aren't mathematicians, and how you can get a calculator to be wrong.
Calculators aren't mathematicians.
They're tools. And if you don't know how to use the tool right, you'll use it wrong.
Story time.
In one of my sophomore circuits classes, we had to find the value of a capacitor on a test. Every single student got the answer wrong. We all asked for an explanation why we were wrong. The instructor did the problem on the board, in front of the class.
He got the wrong answer, too. The thing about it? ALL of us got different wrong answers.
Turns out, we were doing equations that started with reasonable whole numbers close to zero, and the answer was less than thousandths of microFarads (1x10^-9, the answer was at 1x10^-12).
*Extremely* small numbers... so small that all the calculators, even the same model from the same manufacturer, got different answers because of the inherent imprecision at that distance from zero. You actually have to know *how* a calculator works to understand the why. Numbers expressed as binary digits lose precision when you put 9 zeros in front of it.
These were expensive scientific calculators, too. Things you don't buy in a Staples (this was pre-internet, too, so programs that could do the things we were asking were expensive, too).
The answer was so imprecise that so long as the number was "whatever" x 10^-12, we were actually right, because it was impossible to overcome the inherent unreliability of a fundamental way binary numbers are stored. So we all got credit.
Now. Tell me more about how this online calculator got the "right" answer.
Because calculators don't actually KNOW things.
So sure, you got 9. And it's STILL the wrong answer, because the calculator doesn't know that what you put in isn't explicitly written. Humans can and do.
6
Human, Sarcastic (1 ea.) retweeted
Is Sediteous Fascist a gender now?
Your gender card has been declined.
1
1
80
WTF, France?
Grow a pair and do something before it's too late.
You're an embarrassment to your ancestors.
1
89
Why is it people can make multi-minute long movies X using AI but when I want to do a couple hours of vibe coding a game using Claude I get shut down after an hour or so of just planning shit?
How much are you all spending on AI access and how are you still paying your rent?!?
1
1
140
When your takes are so shit even the ATF ratios you.
Incredibly good use of a senior Trump DOJ officials time on this here Friday night. Absolutely rules they are all so terminally online that they can’t help but read all of their mentions and respond.
But I always appreciate feedback from my loyal readers!!
1
58
Human, Sarcastic (1 ea.) retweeted
Libertarianism is about property rights, consent, and free markets.
Those who claim to be libertarian while supporting those who want those things above destroyed are not libertarian at all.
7
15
107
2,537
Every time you get a credentialist idiot who doesn't understand what they're talking about (or how the platform they use to spew their party line idiocy works) to block you, an angel gets its wings.
2
42
First Dolly, now Tim Curry.
Does anybody know the number to the celestial complaints department?
1
45
People are complaining about Trump ordering flags flow at half mast for Dolly Parton.
If you aren't lowering your flag for Dolly Parton, you're a bad person, end of story.
I don't care what you think about Trump; if you don't respect Dolly, I don't respect you.
3
68