explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1208: Footnote Labyrinths

2013-05-06T15:04:49Z

Urah: /* Question, alternative explination */

Way to nerd-snipe me, Randall. [[User:Alpha|Alpha]] ([[User talk:Alpha|talk]]) 04:52, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

In the nested-footnotes interpretation, 5 has to be ignored: The 6 must be true, and the 6 says that it’s “actually a 1”, but with footnote 2+2 which says “ibid.” and thus equals footnote 3, which is true. So 6 really ''does mean'' actually a 1, which leaves 5 to be ignored. --[[Special:Contributions/77.186.8.191|77.186.8.191]] 10:47, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

The footnote for 6 is actually 1 to the 2 to the 2 [[User:Schmammel|Schmammel]] ([[User talk:Schmammel|talk]]) 12:36, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

Explaination is wrong : abc = a(bc) = ab^c (confer the definition of a gogol = 10^100 = 10102, and a gogolplex = 10^gogol = 10(10100), not 10^110. So since 1^2= 1, No12 really means No1.

== Question, alternative explination ==

I wasn't really satisfied with the whole discarding of the infinite loop, so I worked through the problem seperately using the nested footnotes. Then, when we hit the infinite loop I split between the two possible answers (either the infinite loop ends on true or false). As I read it, they both get the same answer:

no (3)

no (not true (5))

no (not true (true (2 < 6 < 3))

no (not true (true (2 < 6 < (not true))))

no (not true (true (2 < (actually 1 < 2 < 2 (not true 3 < 2)))))

no (not true (true (2 < (actually 1 < 2 < 2 (not true (5)))))

Split!

If 6 is false (infinite loop possibility)

no (3 < 5 < 2)

no (not true (7)) - meaningless, so discard

no (not true)

If 6 is true (infinite loop possibility)

no (3 < 5 < 1 < 2 < 2)

no (3 < 5 < 1 < 4)

no (3 < 5 < 1)

no (3)

no (not true)

Both lead to the answer "... experiments to observe this and we found evidence for it in our data".

Talk:1208: Footnote Labyrinths

2013-05-06T15:04:06Z

Urah: /* Question, alternative explination */

Way to nerd-snipe me, Randall. [[User:Alpha|Alpha]] ([[User talk:Alpha|talk]]) 04:52, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

In the nested-footnotes interpretation, 5 has to be ignored: The 6 must be true, and the 6 says that it’s “actually a 1”, but with footnote 2+2 which says “ibid.” and thus equals footnote 3, which is true. So 6 really ''does mean'' actually a 1, which leaves 5 to be ignored. --[[Special:Contributions/77.186.8.191|77.186.8.191]] 10:47, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

The footnote for 6 is actually 1 to the 2 to the 2 [[User:Schmammel|Schmammel]] ([[User talk:Schmammel|talk]]) 12:36, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

Explaination is wrong : abc = a(bc) = ab^c (confer the definition of a gogol = 10^100 = 10102, and a gogolplex = 10^gogol = 10(10100), not 10^110. So since 1^2= 1, No12 really means No1.

== Question, alternative explination ==

I wasn't really satisfied with the whole discarding of the infinite loop, so I worked through the problem seperately using the nested footnotes. Then, when we hit the infinite loop I split between the two possible answers (either the infinite loop ends on true or false). As I read it, they both get the same answer:

no (3)
no (not true (5))
no (not true (true (2 < 6 < 3))
no (not true (true (2 < 6 < (not true))))
no (not true (true (2 < (actually 1 < 2 < 2 (not true 3 < 2)))))
no (not true (true (2 < (actually 1 < 2 < 2 (not true (5)))))

Split!
If 6 is false (infinite loop possibility)
no (3 < 5 < 2)
no (not true (7)) - meaningless, so discard
no (not true)

If 6 is true (infinite loop possibility)
no (3 < 5 < 1 < 2 < 2)
no (3 < 5 < 1 < 4)
no (3 < 5 < 1)
no (3)
no (not true)

Both lead to the answer "... experiments to observe this and we found evidence for it in our data".

Talk:1208: Footnote Labyrinths

2013-05-06T15:03:02Z

Urah: /* Question, alternative explination */ new section

Way to nerd-snipe me, Randall. [[User:Alpha|Alpha]] ([[User talk:Alpha|talk]]) 04:52, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

In the nested-footnotes interpretation, 5 has to be ignored: The 6 must be true, and the 6 says that it’s “actually a 1”, but with footnote 2+2 which says “ibid.” and thus equals footnote 3, which is true. So 6 really ''does mean'' actually a 1, which leaves 5 to be ignored. --[[Special:Contributions/77.186.8.191|77.186.8.191]] 10:47, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

The footnote for 6 is actually 1 to the 2 to the 2 [[User:Schmammel|Schmammel]] ([[User talk:Schmammel|talk]]) 12:36, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

Explaination is wrong : abc = a(bc) = ab^c (confer the definition of a gogol = 10^100 = 10102, and a gogolplex = 10^gogol = 10(10100), not 10^110. So since 1^2= 1, No12 really means No1.

== Question, alternative explination ==

I wasn't really satisfied with the whole discarding of the infinite loop, so I worked through the problem seperately using the nested footnotes. Then, when we hit the infinite loop I split between the two possible answers (either the infinite loop ends on true or false). As I read it, they both get the same answer:

no (3)
no (not true (5))
no (not true (true (2 < 6 < 3))
no (not true (true (2 < 6 < (not true))))
no (not true (true (2 < (actually 1 < 2 < 2 (not true 3 < 2)))))
no (not true (true (2 < (actually 1 < 2 < 2 (not true (5)))))

Split!
If 6 is false (infinite loop possibility)
no (3 < 5 < 2)
no (not true (7)) - meaningless, so discard
no (not true)

If 6 is true (infinite loop possibility)
no (3 < 5 < 1 < 2 < 2)
no (3 < 5 < 1 < 4)
no (3 < 5 < 1)
no (3)
no (not true)

Both lead to the answer "... experiments to observe this and we found evidence for it in our data".