https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&feed=atom&action=history613: Threesome - Revision history2024-03-28T08:11:25ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=263274&oldid=prevJacky720: rv2022-05-04T23:51:24Z<p>rv</p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=263274&oldid=263250">Show changes</a>Jacky720https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=263250&oldid=prevEx Kay Cee Dee at 23:51, 4 May 20222022-05-04T23:51:20Z<p></p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=263250&oldid=251567">Show changes</a>Ex Kay Cee Deehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=251567&oldid=prevJacky720: rv2022-05-04T21:56:50Z<p>rv</p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=251567&oldid=251361">Show changes</a>Jacky720https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=251361&oldid=prevEx Kay Cee Dee at 21:54, 4 May 20222022-05-04T21:54:02Z<p></p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=251361&oldid=247967">Show changes</a>Ex Kay Cee Deehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=247967&oldid=prevJacky720: rv2022-05-04T21:11:25Z<p>rv</p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=247967&oldid=240805">Show changes</a>Jacky720https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=240805&oldid=prevEx Kay Cee Dee at 17:22, 4 May 20222022-05-04T17:22:59Z<p></p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=240805&oldid=239730">Show changes</a>Ex Kay Cee Deehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=239730&oldid=prevDavidy22: Reverted edits by X. K. C. D. (talk) to last revision by 172.69.22.2242022-05-04T02:17:58Z<p>Reverted edits by <a href="/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/X._K._C._D." title="Special:Contributions/X. K. C. D.">X. K. C. D.</a> (<a href="/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:X._K._C._D.&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User talk:X. K. C. D. (page does not exist)">talk</a>) to last revision by <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=User:172.69.22.224&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User:172.69.22.224 (page does not exist)">172.69.22.224</a></p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=239730&oldid=233259">Show changes</a>Davidy22https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=233259&oldid=prevX. K. C. D. at 22:30, 3 May 20222022-05-03T22:30:44Z<p></p>
<a href="//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=233259&oldid=169609">Show changes</a>X. K. C. D.https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=169609&oldid=prev172.69.22.224: /* Explanation */2019-02-15T06:30:02Z<p><span dir="auto"><span class="autocomment">Explanation</span></span></p>
<table class="diff diff-contentalign-left" data-mw="interface">
<col class="diff-marker" />
<col class="diff-content" />
<col class="diff-marker" />
<col class="diff-content" />
<tr style="vertical-align: top;" lang="en">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; color:black; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; color:black; text-align: center;">Revision as of 06:30, 15 February 2019</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l8" >Line 8:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 8:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Explanation==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Explanation==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The {{w|N-Body Problem}} in physics refers to our inability to analytically solve sets of differential equations modelling gravitational attraction between more than two bodies. Simply put, there are [[wikipedia:Closed-form_expression|exact equations]] for describing the movement of two bodies reacting to each other's gravitational pull, but no such solutions exist for systems of three or more bodies. The punchline of the comic is a play on the word "bodies": a threesome involves three (human) bodies, and it is implied that the physicist's participation in the threesome was hindered due to their inability to solve for the movement of said bodies.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The {{w|N-Body Problem}} in physics refers to our inability to analytically solve sets of differential equations modelling gravitational attraction between more than two bodies. Simply put, there are [[wikipedia:Closed-form_expression|exact equations]] for describing the movement of two bodies reacting to each other's gravitational pull, but no such solutions exist for systems of three or more bodies<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">.</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">A threesome is a sexual encounter with three people</ins>. The punchline of the comic is a play on the word "bodies": a threesome involves three (human) bodies, and it is implied that the physicist's participation in the threesome was hindered due to their inability to solve for the movement of said bodies <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">(i.e. the physicist was apparently unable to get comfortable and sexually satisfied at the same time)</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>According to the title text, Megan proposed that they settle for a numerical solution since a closed-form solution is unavailable. A numerical solution to predict the motion of a system would be an "open" procedural solution or simulation. On the one hand, such a solution can be more practical and less time-consuming than a closed-form solution, especially in cases (such as the three-body problem) where the latter is suspected to be impossible. On the other hand, a numerical solution is only an approximation and will tend to deviate from the exact solution over time. In the context of the comic, Megan probably was suggesting that a numerical solution would be sufficiently accurate for the duration of the threesome, but it appears that the physicist insisted that they arrive at an exact solution.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>According to the title text, Megan proposed that they settle for a numerical solution since a closed-form solution is unavailable. A numerical solution to predict the motion of a system would be an "open" procedural solution or simulation. On the one hand, such a solution can be more practical and less time-consuming than a closed-form solution, especially in cases (such as the three-body problem) where the latter is suspected to be impossible. On the other hand, a numerical solution is only an approximation and will tend to deviate from the exact solution over time. In the context of the comic, Megan probably was suggesting that a numerical solution would be sufficiently accurate for the duration of the threesome, but it appears that the physicist insisted that they arrive at an exact solution.</div></td></tr>
</table>172.69.22.224https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=613:_Threesome&diff=113858&oldid=prev108.162.237.90: /* Explanation */ Grammar, interpretation, that sort of thing2016-03-03T16:59:47Z<p><span dir="auto"><span class="autocomment">Explanation: </span> Grammar, interpretation, that sort of thing</span></p>
<table class="diff diff-contentalign-left" data-mw="interface">
<col class="diff-marker" />
<col class="diff-content" />
<col class="diff-marker" />
<col class="diff-content" />
<tr style="vertical-align: top;" lang="en">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; color:black; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; color:black; text-align: center;">Revision as of 16:59, 3 March 2016</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l8" >Line 8:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 8:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Explanation==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Explanation==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The {{w|N-Body Problem}} in physics refers to our inability to analytically solve sets of differential equations modelling gravitational attraction between more than two bodies. Simply put, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">to describe </del>the movement of two bodies reacting to each <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">others gravity </del>pull <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">rather straightforward and exact formulas are known (what is called a {{w|closed-form expression}})</del>, but for three <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">and </del>more bodies <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">no such exact solutions exist</del>. <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">In </del>the comic, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">they describe a </del>physicist's <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">difficulty having a </del>threesome due to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">his </del>inability to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">find a closed-form solution</del>.  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The {{w|N-Body Problem}} in physics refers to our inability to analytically solve sets of differential equations modelling gravitational attraction between more than two bodies. Simply put, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">there are [[wikipedia:Closed-form_expression|exact equations]] for describing </ins>the movement of two bodies reacting to each <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">other's gravitational </ins>pull, but <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">no such solutions exist </ins>for <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">systems of </ins>three <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">or </ins>more bodies. <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">The punchline of </ins>the comic <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">is a play on the word "bodies": a threesome involves three (human) bodies</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">and it is implied that the </ins>physicist's <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">participation in the </ins>threesome <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">was hindered </ins>due to <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">their </ins>inability to <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">solve for the movement of said bodies</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">The </del>title text <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">suggests </del>they <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">should </del>settle for a numerical solution since a closed form solution is unavailable<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">; however, the physicist apparently refused to do so during the previous night when Megan suggested him to</del>. A numerical solution to predict the <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">movements </del>of <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">three and more bodies </del>would be an "open" procedural solution or simulation, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">which works fine for some length of </del>time, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">but can </del>deviate from the exact solution <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">due to </del>the <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">{{w|butterfly effect}}. This could mean </del>that <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Megan </del>would <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">have been fine with a threesome without knowing </del>the <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">exact future outcomes </del>of <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">this encounter</del>, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">while </del>the physicist <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">was insisting on having </del>an exact solution <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">and certainty</del>. A frequent observation in random n-body encounters is that one or more bodies are ejected from the system by achieving escape velocity <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">- </del>and loneliness<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">. But there can be also </del>stable solutions. A closed-form solution would allow to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">know in advance </del>how long such an arrangement would remain stable.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">According to the </ins>title text<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, Megan proposed that </ins>they settle for a numerical solution since a closed<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">-</ins>form solution is unavailable. A numerical solution to predict the <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">motion </ins>of <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a system </ins>would be an "open" procedural solution or simulation<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">. On the one hand</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">such a solution can be more practical and less </ins>time<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">-consuming than a closed-form solution</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">especially in cases (such as the three-body problem) where the latter is suspected to be impossible. On the other hand, a numerical solution is only an approximation and will tend to </ins>deviate from the exact solution <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">over time. In the context of </ins>the <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">comic, Megan probably was suggesting </ins>that <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a numerical solution </ins>would <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">be sufficiently accurate for </ins>the <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">duration </ins>of <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">the threesome</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">but it appears that </ins>the physicist <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">insisted that they arrive at </ins>an exact solution.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>A frequent observation in random n-body encounters is that one or more bodies are ejected from the system by achieving escape velocity <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">(</ins>and loneliness<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">), but </ins>stable solutions <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">are possible</ins>. A closed-form solution would allow <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">one </ins>to <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">predict for </ins>how long such an arrangement would remain stable<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">. Ironically, it could be that the physicist's insistence on finding an exact solution resulted in them being excluded/"ejected" from the threesome, which arguably would be very "awkward"</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Transcript==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Transcript==</div></td></tr>
</table>108.162.237.90