Does 2a=A? EDITED

[Reap3r]

Also, he got this from 4chan. This is oooooooooold

 

[Pimppeter2]

2=2 (okay)

2^2=2^2 (okay)

2^2-2^2=2*2-2^2 (works)

(2-2)(2+2)=2(2-2) = 4=0 (no worky)

2+2=2 (no worky)

2*2=2 (no worky)

Fixed

 

[PizzaDentist]

plus (a-b) = 0
So by multiplying both sides by zero, anything is equal to anything else.

1 x 0 = 1000000 x 0

Therefore, one equals a million?

no cuz you cant divide by zero so it doesnt cancel. also if a=b a^2=/=b excepting 1 and 0 and those hold up in the solution

Original equation says a=b... therefore (a-b) must be zero...

 

[Ossum]

If a=b then they're the same value. Let's say that value is 5, so a=5 and b=5, therefore 5=5. The next equation states that a^2=b, so 5^2=5. This becomes 25=5 which is false. The rest of the equations don't fare any better.

I think math broke your friend, not the other way around. That or he wanted to see if you'd fall for it.

 

[Mychas]

how is a^2 = b


that's silly

a= 5
b=25

a^2 = b
5^2 = 25
25 =25

....? I'm shit at maths, so sorry if I'm being completely fucking stupid here - but if a=b, how can a also be b squared?

[Edit:] The square root of b, that is.

The point of that was mostly to point out his incomplete (IMO) post. (I'd say sentence, but that doesn't work out.)

 

[Iron Mal]

Well...this makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever (2a=a would mean that something times two has the same value as the same number on it's own, the only number that would work with would be zero).

Call me thick headed for saying this but I never really thought I would be at much of a disadvantage for not knowing algebra so I didn't really pay much attention back in school (because I have lost count of the number of times I've needed to solve equations in day to day life).

 

[Nimbus]

a + b = b divide by (a - b)

Division by zero? How has no-one spotted this?

EDIT: Looks like I was ninja'd by about 5 minutes. Oops.

 

[Ossum]

Well from a programming perspective a could easily equal b.

well sure, since a=b means you're setting the value of b to a. By that logic they all work (excluding the math performed on the variable a in an assignment statement) because a is just getting assigned b's value plus the math on the right side of the equation.

 

[ultimatechance]

Your friend needs to learn the basics of math before he can try and disprove it. Like for starters, you cant just say that a=b then a^2=b. Also, where the hell does the b go in the last line? It doesnt make any sense. Not that I dont understand how math works, but its that i dont understand what the hell your friend was taught when he was in school. 0.999=1 at least made a valid point when trying to disprove math.

 

[Skeleon]

a + b = b divide by (a - b)

Right there he's dividing by 0 which isn't possible.
That's wherein his error lies.

EDIT: Damn, double-ninja'd.

 

[josh797]

a + b = b divide by (a - b)

Division by zero? How has no-one spotted this?

i did

"no cuz you cant divide by zero so it doesnt cancel"

 

[Portkins]

Are far as math goes, the answer would be 'No Answer'

 

[L33tsauce_Marty]

Well from a programming perspective a could easily equal b.

well sure, since a=b means you're setting the value of b to a. By that logic they all work (excluding the math performed on the variable a in an assignment statement) because a is just getting assigned b's value plus the math on the right side of the equation.

My point exactly.

 

[sms_117b]

On my proof, I tell you what I done to get to that line on that line...if that makes sense

a + b = b divide by (a - b) means I divided the previous line by (a - b), but yes essentially it is zero, but it's algebra so it's all good, algebra does crazy shit!

 

[pffh]

This is an interesting string of equations that my friend came up with during school today, claiming that he "broke math". I don't really understand it but here it is anyway:

a=b

a^2=b

a^2-b^2=ab-b^2

(a-b)(a+b)=b(a-b)

a+b= a

2a=a

So what do you guys think? Does this make sense to you, or is my friend just an idiot?

EDIT: I personally think its a load of bull, but I am by no means a mathematician.

Ahem how does b(a-b)=a? if a=b then b(a-b)=0 or a(a-a) or if b=a^2 a^2(a-a^2)=a^3-a^4
also (a-b)(a+b)=a+b? you get (a-b)(a+b)=0 or (a-a^2)(a+a^2)=a^2-a^4 so really you get
a^2-a^4=a^3-a^4 a=1 which makes sense since if a=b and a^2=b then a and b can only be 1 or 0.

Edit: Noticed the edit.

a + b = b divide by (a - b) <= there is the problem since a=b the (a-b)=0 and you can't divide by zero.

 

[TaborMallory]

Breaking math is fun. As interesting as this is, it's not true in reality.

 

[Flap Jack452]

Ahem how does b(a-b)=a? if a=b then b(a-b)=0 or a(a-a) or if b=a^2 a^2(a-a^2)=a^3-a^4
also (a-b)(a+b)=a+b? you get (a-b)(a+b)=0 or (a-a^2)(a+a^2)=a^2-a^4 so really you get
a^2-a^4=a^3-a^4 a=1 which makes sense since if a=b and a^2=b then a and b can only be 1 or 0.

I can only assume you were speaking english in that post, like I said I did not come up with this and do not really understand it. I was confused about the a^2=b, but I thought the smart people of the escapist could figure it out.