Difference between revisions of "199: Right-Hand Rule"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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(The first two are self explanatory, but the third one might be explained to some folks)
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The {{w|right-hand rule}} is a mathematics and physics trick to learning three dimensional Cartesian vectors. First, using your right hand, hold the thumb perpendicular to your other fingers. Then point the thumb in the direction of one axis, and the fingers in another. Curl the fingers and they will point in the direction of the third axis to make the three-dimensional figure consistent.
 
The {{w|right-hand rule}} is a mathematics and physics trick to learning three dimensional Cartesian vectors. First, using your right hand, hold the thumb perpendicular to your other fingers. Then point the thumb in the direction of one axis, and the fingers in another. Curl the fingers and they will point in the direction of the third axis to make the three-dimensional figure consistent.
  
The joke relies on non-standard ways of measuring, which are unusual and much more impractical.
+
The joke relies on non-standard ways of measuring, which are unusual and much more impractical. The reference to watching porn(pornography) suggests that an erect penis would represent the 3rd vector.
  
 
The title text refers to {{w|Edwin Abbott Abbott}}, author of the book Flatland, a story about a two dimensional world.
 
The title text refers to {{w|Edwin Abbott Abbott}}, author of the book Flatland, a story about a two dimensional world.

Revision as of 02:10, 27 August 2013

Right-Hand Rule
To really expand your mind try some noncartesian porn. Edwin Abbot Abbott has nothing on "Girls on Girls in Tightly Closed Nonorientable Spaces"
Title text: To really expand your mind try some noncartesian porn. Edwin Abbot Abbott has nothing on "Girls on Girls in Tightly Closed Nonorientable Spaces"

Explanation

The right-hand rule is a mathematics and physics trick to learning three dimensional Cartesian vectors. First, using your right hand, hold the thumb perpendicular to your other fingers. Then point the thumb in the direction of one axis, and the fingers in another. Curl the fingers and they will point in the direction of the third axis to make the three-dimensional figure consistent.

The joke relies on non-standard ways of measuring, which are unusual and much more impractical. The reference to watching porn(pornography) suggests that an erect penis would represent the 3rd vector.

The title text refers to Edwin Abbott Abbott, author of the book Flatland, a story about a two dimensional world.

Transcript

[Picture of a right hand with fingers curved, thumb pointed away, with axes drawn to demonstrate the right-hand rule of physics.]
Alternatives to the Right-Hand Rule in vector multiplication:
[A slightly-open book with labeled axes drawn on.]
Book Rule: Open the front cover along the first vector and the back cover along the second. The result vector is along the spine, out the top.
[A handgun with axes.]
Handgun Rule: Point the grip along the first vector and rotate it so that the second vector is on the safety latch side. Fire. The result vector is toward the nozzle.
[A person with right arm extended.]
Body Rule (males only): Point your right arm along the first vector and your legs along the second, then watch some porn.


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Discussion

There's also the right hand rule on urban dictionary, although it's applied slightly differently, and it only has one input parameter. Davidy22 (talk) 03:44, 30 October 2012 (UTC)

I expanded the explanation to cover the erection joke. 184.66.160.91 02:12, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Can anyone explain "Girls on Girls in Tightly Closed Nonorientable Spaces"? What is that, lesbians in a box? What is a nonorientable space? Swordsmith (talk) 02:14, 28 November 2015 (UTC)

A non orientable space is, IIRC, a shape like a Möbius strip, in which has a sort of topological " handedness." Or maybe that's an orientable space. I'm pretty sure it's non orientable.

As far as noneuclidean porn goes though, I have a fetish for fractals. Just pull up a sexy fractal zoom and we're good to go. But I'm cisfemale. No dick. X'D International Space Station (talk) 09:18, 27 April 2016 (UTC)

It turns into a cat for me 108.162.218.166 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

"Cross product", huh? Koro Neil (talk) 06:10, 27 December 2018 (UTC)

Am I missing something in the note "However, it would give incorrect results with books in languages that are read from right to left, as well as most Jewish prayer books."? In these books the terms front, back and top are still the same, no matter in which direction the letters go? Someone please explain to me why it makes a difference or delete that sentence. --Lupo (talk) 10:06, 27 September 2019 (UTC)

Page order tends to follow text direction; in RTL languages, books are generally printed in what we would consider reverse order, with the spine to the right if the book is closed face-up. So, no, the terms front, back, and top are not the same, but exactly reversed, because the front is defined by where the book starts, not by how someone used to English books would hold it, and it starts on the other side from what we'd expect. The same goes for the other terms, and the result is that the book as depicted would be upside-down.Swolffs (talk) 10:01, 7 October 2019 (UTC)