Author Topic: Impossible Math (Read 3939 times)

I'll try explaining it another way.
x = y is what the equation started out as.
x - y = 0 since x is always equal to y, subtracting the y is essentially the same as subtracting a number from itself which always gives you 0.
I can replace x - y with 0 because they equal each other.
So by dividing out the x - y, he was really dividing by 0 which broke the problem.

Inv3rted · July 29, 2009, 01:14:25 AM

There was no division in the whole problem. You're an idiot.

Gamefandan · July 29, 2009, 01:48:28 AM

Quote from: toast$$$hero on July 28, 2009, 11:01:07 PM

-snip-

Nice page stretch.

OLOLOLOLOL I'M WAY OVER HERE! :D

fireball · July 29, 2009, 02:14:50 AM

You sir, are the idiot!

(x+y)(x-y) = y(x-y)
Here is the step where the division occurs. Watch closely!

(x+y)*(x-y) = y*(x-y)
Two parenthesis next to each other or a number/variable next to the parenthesis means multiplication.

(x+y)*(x-y)/(x-y) = y*(x-y)/(x-y)
The same thing is being multiplied on both sides.
To undo this, we have to DIVIDE by the same number on both sides.

(x+y)*~~(x-y)/(x-y)~~1 = y*~~(x-y)/(x-y)~~1
Oshi! The two operations canceled each other out!

(x+y)*1 = y*1
Anything divided by itself equals one. Just what we wanted because 1 is the identity for multiplication!
Anything times 1 equals itself.

(x+y) = y
Almost there. We can get rid of the parenthesis now because the only operation being done is addition.

x+y = y
OMFG! We just got to the next step of the problem using division!
Too bad it completely destroys the problem because the division just happened to be 0.

Tard

Travis [bob36455] · July 29, 2009, 10:57:49 AM

mathmakemybrainhurt.

It equals