math question (daughter needs help)

1962 with a IBM engineering computer, Fortran 4 IIRC. We did very simple programs and yes if you didn't do it right [no loop exit] it kept going around.One time the tech decided to go for coffee and there was a no exit loop in the machine .He was furious when he found all the machine time was wasted $$$. Of course that was the day of punch cards too.
 
Gollnick said:
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Most computers can't multiply or divide muck less take the cube root of a number. Yet computers handle most of our math, even algebra, calc, diff eq., stats, non-linear stuff, all of it. How can computers do all that? Simple, they can add and subtract and multiplication and division are just repeated addition and subtraction. So, really, all math comes down to add and subtract.
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Add, subtract AND binary shift registers... ;)
 
Ravaillic is right, algebrae is a whole different ball-game.. Thank god I never have to do it again...
 
Yep, someone confuses algebra and arithmetic (basic arithmetic, not the number theory).

Algebra
is a branch of mathematics, which studies structure and quantity. It may be roughly characterized as a generalization and abstraction of arithmetic, in which operations are are performed on symbols rather than numbers. It includes elementary algebra, taught to high school students, as well as abstract algebra which covers such structures as groups, rings and analysis and geometry. Along with fields, it is one of the three principal branches of mathematics.


Arithmetic or arithmetics (from the Greek word αριθμός = number) in common usage is a branch of (or the forerunner of) mathematics which records lementary properties of certain operations on numerals, though in usage by professional mathematicians, it often is treated as a synonym for number theory.
 
flava said:
Yep, someone confuses algebra and arithmetic (basic arithmetic, not the number theory).

Algebra
abstract algebra which covers such structures as groups, rings and analysis and geometry. Along with fields, it is one of the three principal branches of mathematics.
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Yeah...that's the one. I hope i never have to face it again. It just needs a different sort of mind to work it out. And my mind ain't up to it.
 
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