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| date = January 27, 2006 | | date = January 27, 2006 | ||
| title = Useless | | title = Useless | ||
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| image = useless.jpg | | image = useless.jpg | ||
| titletext = Even the identity matrix doesn't work normally | | titletext = Even the identity matrix doesn't work normally | ||
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | [[Randall]] is attempting to apply mathematics to the concept of love to no avail. Specifically, he is attempting his "normal approach" which is a term used in mathematics for the method one typically uses to solve a certain type of problem. However, as love is not a well-defined mathematical, his normal approach is useless. Simply put: he's saying he has found no way of describing love, using only the tools of mathematics. | |
− | + | From the top, going right, he tries the {{w|square root}} of love; the {{w|cosine}} of love; the {{w|derivative}} of love with respect to x; he left-multiplies love by a 2x2 {{w|identity matrix}}, and finally he defines a {{w|Function (mathematics)|function}} of love as a {{w|Fourier transform}}. These are all "normal approaches" to solving certain math problems. | |
− | + | The long and the short of the comic is that for someone who uses math to solve all their problems, this might be their thinking when they discover love. It also echoes the idea that love is not always a rational phenomenon. | |
+ | |||
+ | This comic has been made into a [http://store.xkcd.com/products/useless t-shirt] in the xkcd store, with a {{w|Laplace transform}} in place of the bottom integral. | ||
===Basic explanations of the functions=== | ===Basic explanations of the functions=== | ||
− | * The {{w|square root}} | + | :''Note: The Wikipedia links will provide far more detailed explanations of the mathematics.'' |
− | * {{w|Cosine}} is a {{w|trigonometric function}} | + | *The {{w|square root}} of x is the number which, when multiplied by itself, equals x. |
− | * A {{w|derivative}} of a function is the rate of change of that function at a given value of x. It is a primary focus of {{w|calculus}}. A basic example is where "velocity" is the rate of change of displacement at a given time, the derivative of velocity is "acceleration" | + | *{{w|Cosine}} is a {{w|trigonometric function}} which, when given the measure of an angle in a {{w|right triangle}} as an input, outputs the ratio of the lengths of two sides of that triangle (for cosine it is the non-{{w|hypotenuse}} side adjacent to the angle and the hypotenuse). |
− | * {{w|identity matrix|Identity matrices}} are {{w|matrix (mathematics)|matrices}} | + | *A {{w|derivative}} of a function is the rate of change of that function at a given value of x. It is a primary focus of {{w|calculus}}. A basic example is where "velocity" is the rate of change of displacement at a given time, the derivative of velocity is "acceleration" which is the rate of change of velocity at a given time. |
− | * A {{w|Fourier transform}} converts a function from one (sophisticated) function into an endless continuous series of | + | *{{w|identity matrix|Identity matrices}} are {{w|matrix (mathematics)|matrices}} which consist of only zeros and ones, with zeros everywhere except along the {{w|main diagonal}}. Multiplying a matrix by the equal-sized identity matrix will result in the same output in the same way that multiplying a non-matrix by 1 does not change the original term. The title text suggests that multiplying love by the identity matrix does not return the same "love" value. |
+ | *A {{w|Fourier transform}} converts a function from one (sophisticated) function into an endless continuous series of (more simple) functions, where each next part is bringing the equation closer to the real result. This means that you can stop your calculations after a few iterations and you are very close to the real result, and it also can be used to deconstruct signals. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[Different | + | :[Different mathematic equations, all with heart on left side, and all equal question mark. Below is a caption.] |
:√♥ = ? | :√♥ = ? | ||
:cos ♥ = ? | :cos ♥ = ? | ||
:d/dx ♥ = ? | :d/dx ♥ = ? | ||
− | :<sub>[ | + | :<sub>[10]♥ =?</sub> |
− | :<sup>[ | + | :<sup>[01]</sup> |
:F{♥} = 1/√2π ∫<sup>∞</sup><sub>-∞</sub>f(t)e<sup>it♥</sup>dt = ? | :F{♥} = 1/√2π ∫<sup>∞</sup><sub>-∞</sub>f(t)e<sup>it♥</sup>dt = ? | ||
− | + | :My normal approach is useless here | |
− | :My normal approach is useless here | ||
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
− | * | + | *This was the 52nd and last comic originally posted to [[LiveJournal]]. |
− | * | + | **The previous was [[53: Hobby]]. |
− | + | *This comic kept it's original title: "Useless" | |
− | + | **It is part of the last six comics on LiveJournal which all had a title without the word "Drawing" in it. | |
− | + | **Five of these had exactly the same title on both sites. | |
− | + | **Only 11 comics have the same title on both sites. | |
− | + | **Apart from the [[:Category:First day on LiveJournal|thirteen first comics]] posted to LiveJournal, there were only three other comics without the word "Drawing" in the title before these last six. | |
− | + | *There were no original [[Randall]] quote for this comic. | |
− | + | *This comic was the last of the last 11 comics posted on LiveJournal. | |
− | :: | + | **These 11 comics were [[:Category:Posted on LiveJournal after xkcd|posted both on LiveJournal and xkcd]] after the [[xkcd]] site opened on the 1st of January 2006. |
− | + | **The first six comics were posted on both sites on the same day. | |
− | + | **And then this first happened again with this last comic. | |
− | + | *The version used on the [http://store.xkcd.com/products/useless t-shirt] and in ''[http://store.xkcd.com/products/xkcd-volume-0 xkcd: volume 0]'' is slightly different. The derivative is with respect to time (''t'') instead of ''x'', and the function at the bottom is a {{w|Laplace transform}}. | |
− | * The | + | *This comic was adapted to a wedding cake featured on [http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2011/6/26/sunday-sweets-geek-wedding-cakes.html an installment of "Sunday Sweets"], a regular feature on popular blog [http://cakewrecks.com Cake Wrecks]. |
− | * This | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
− | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Comics posted on livejournal| 52]] |
− | [[Category:Posted on LiveJournal after xkcd | + | [[Category:Posted on LiveJournal after xkcd]] |
[[Category:Romance]] | [[Category:Romance]] | ||
[[Category:Math]] | [[Category:Math]] | ||
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