thirty third dance | text;

[motioned]

how can x equal so many different things

isn't it only one letter

shouldn't it only be able to be one number too


[Math is hard, her life is difficult, and this was totally worth talking to the network about. Anything to distract her from homework...]

Comments

text;

[circumsutus]

Well, yes, but it serves the same purpose.

text;

[motioned]

it's asking a question?

text;

[circumsutus]

It's saying "what am I?"

text;

[motioned]

but it's a letter!

text;

[circumsutus]

The x is just a placeholder.

It's holding a spot for the real number. Once you find the number, x moves out of the way and lets the real number come back into the equation.

text;

[motioned]

but it isn't holding anything

text;

[circumsutus]

All the numbers are in their spots. One number leaves, but there has to be something in the spot, so x stays in the spot until the number that left can come back.

text;

[motioned]

but numbers can't just leave

text;

[circumsutus]

These did.

text;

[motioned]

how

text;

[circumsutus]

Well, they aren't there, are they?

text;

[motioned]

yeah but how

text;

[circumsutus]

It's a mystery.

text;

[motioned]

yeah but i need to solve it if i want to get credit!

Re: text;

[circumsutus]

You don't need to know WHY the number is gone, just what it IS.

text;

[motioned]

then why did you say it left if it didn't matter

text;

[circumsutus]

It doesn't matter WHY it left. All that matters is that it's gone and you need to find it.

text;

[motioned]

well okay

it still doesn't make sense though

text;

[circumsutus]

Sometimes life doesn't make sense.

text;

[motioned]

life and math are really different

text;

[circumsutus]

Are they?

text;

[motioned]

yes?

text;

[circumsutus]

Are you sure?

text;

[motioned]

yes??

text;

[circumsutus]

I wouldn't say that.