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ELI5: Why is mathematics an exact science? | 5hcdtc | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Today our classmate (we are compute science engineering students) said that maths are not an exact science, and someday it will be proved that maths have a lot of weak points and many theories will be dropped. How can i explain it to him that maths are an exact science? |
ELI5:Why is a circle 360 degrees and not 100 degrees? | 5hg95m | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
Eli5: Why do we divide hours and minutes into 60 unit increments, and days into 24 hours? Why not something centered around multiples of 10? | 5hhl8t | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Why does the quadratic formula work? | 5hihj0 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Calculating the proportion of the variance that is explained by a factor in a Two Way ANOVA | 5ht3k4 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Why is the 10 minute timer URL different compared to all other timers on google? | 5hts83 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5: Why is zero so important in mathematics and how did using a zero change the history of maths? | 5hv95z | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: What is Euler's formula and why is it "beautiful and mysterious?" | 5ik6mz | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I was perusing through r/theydidthemath and, within the comments, someone said their favorite formula was Euler's formula, and they and several others were saying they loved how beautiful and mysterious it was. Well I Googled it and I can even understand most of the words describing it, let alone see the beauty in it, so I've come looking for answers. |
ELI5: "I'm Not a Nerd" Equation | 5ixwb5 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | http://www.redbubble.com/people/madewithawesome/works/9345901-ive-just-developed-a-theory-that-proves-im-not-a-nerd Found this on redbubble and can't work it out myself, could someone explain please? EDIT: Thanks for all answers! I guess I really tried to read to much into it. Probably hoped for some hidden sense that would make it funnier than it is (the comments on redbubble suggest it's SO good). |
ELI5: How do mathematicians come up with unsolvable math problems? | 5j1dhd | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | From wiki: "Goldbach's conjecture is one of the oldest and best-known unsolved problems in number theory and all of mathematics. It states: Every even integer greater than 2 can be expressed as the sum of two primes.[1] The conjecture has been shown to hold up through 4 × 1018,[2] but remains unproven despite considerable effort." What is a mathematical proof? |
ELI5: How does a calculator calculate the roots of numbers? | 5j3h8w | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Profiting from gambling. | 5jawju | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | How? If their is a recurring method to success, are there that many people that just waste money? |
ELI5 How is 7-7/7*7+7 equal to a positive whole number? | 5jqkcz | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | My dear Aunt Sally is confusing... |
ELI5: Why do you multiply by π to obtain a circles circumference? | 5knz7y | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5: how a survey that includes 1-2,000 people can be accurately used to represent millions of people | 5kswr6 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Why are there still unsolved math problems? Math is concrete, is it just that mathematicians don't know what steps to take? | 5kt3kk | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: What is the Halting Problem? | 5kts6k | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | From my extremely limited understanding, can it then be used to justify the idea that computers/robots will never be able to match the human brain? |
ELI5: The number TREE(3) | 5kyx3w | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Why is the derivative of "e^x" e^x? | 5l1ddq | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Why is there no solution for the Moving Sofa Problem? | 5l755b | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_sofa_problem Why is there a lower bound? What is the lower bound in the first place? From what I understand, it's the smallest area the sofa can be. why is there a smallest area in the first place, for a problem that tries to find the largest area? The article mentions "The Hammersley sofa has area 2.2074 but is not the largest solution". If they know this isn't the largesst solution, it means that they know of a solution that's larger, right? Why isn't that solution listed there? |
ELI5: The types of mathematic subjects a description of each. | 5l8p8a | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Why is pi defined by a ratio? | 5wrsuj | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Pi is irrational and irrational numbers can't be defined as a fraction, but pi is defined as circumference over diameter. How does this work? |
ELI5:Math Variables. | 5wtdwd | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Letters / symbols are recycled across different disciplines and their formulas. Is there a constant relationship I'm missing? Eg: For the most part, I think Lamda is used as a frequency or a rate value of some type. Lamda is one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation but it is also the latent heat of fusion and linear density. [k] is a spring constant and [k] is also the coefficient of thermal conductivity. Or were these symbols / letters chosen at random to represent constants and/or variables? |
ELI5:Public and private keys in encryption | 5wwsht | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I understand the use of a key in encryption, but what is the point of having a public one that you distribute widely and then a private one? Wouldn't a private key suffice? |
ELI5: What is a solid angle? | 5x3thn | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I am trying to understand the term solid angle as seen here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_angle I'm a little bit stumped and can't find a source that is a little simpler.... I kinda think I get it, but hopefully someone can explain it a bit better and I can confirm it in my head. |
ELI5: Why is 1 categorial variable best displayed always on a bar chart? | 5x6ot7 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Cech Complex | 5xd0z8 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: how does someone get introduced to sin, cos, and tan without getting that they're ratios of sides of angles? | 5xj7d7 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELIF: How are induction and recursion related? | 5xw4xq | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5:How can the NHL (National Hockey League) expand and have 31 teams next season, and have every team play 82 games? | 5y1gao | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I can not for the life of me grasp how it is possible for an odd number of teams to all play the same amount of games. |
ELI5: If I bought a stock at $.50/share and it's now $50/share, what percent did it increase? | 5y3tyv | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | This question glitched my family. They're stuck in a loop of moving the decimal and head scratching. Please show your work as simply as possible. |
ELI5:How did staticians first prove that their methods could accurately reflect a population if they had nothing to compare their results with? | 5yajuz | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
What do I do? | 5ydzn2 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Would humans potentially have invented the hexagon if bees did not exist? | 5yeun8 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5: How are irrational numbers more infinite than rational numbers. | 5yezjx | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Variance, Standard Deviation, and Percentiles | 5yig9k | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5:What is the difference between straight mark-up and bill-rate? | 5ymv37 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | In reference to fee percentages on contracts sent to companies for temporary staffing placements. |
ELI5:Is it possible to be 1/15th an ethnicity? | 5ynaqk | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | For example: Is it possible for someone to be 1/15th Hawaiian? Edit: it appears that everyone is saying that you can be extremely close, but not exactly 1/15th. Thanks everyone. |
ELI5: Could an end to Pi ever be found? | 5yv0l5 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Explain expansion, factorization and simplification like I'm 5 | 5z1p3q | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | In algebra. I'm struggling to understand them at school and they're very important. What are they and how do I do each one? |
ELI5: Why is it when I see a series of numbers that are the same I find it difficult to count them, for example 0000000000? | 5z25kn | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Expected value of function is not the function of expected value | 5z77bk | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | For example, my professor said: "Average of a bunch of samples is NOT the same as observation of a bunch of averages" Could you provide a step-by-step example please :( |
ELI5:Why does numbers like pi and euler's number never end ? | 5zecjx | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Happy 3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288 41971 69399 37510 58209 74944 59230 78164 06286 20899 86280 34825 34211 70679 .... |
ELI5: What would happen if our number system wasn't base 10? | 5zfz8y | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Our normal number system is base 10 because we have 10 fingers but what would be different if it were base 8 or 9? Would basic math as we know it not work? Would math be complicated or easier than our existing system? And are their cultures that do use a different number system other than base 10? |
ELI5: What's the Deal With Pi? | 5zheam | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: How are new numbers in Pi discovered and what are their importance? | 5zhll2 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | In honor of Pi Day (3.14), I was researching Pi, and a few articles appeared about people who dedicate themselves to calculating Pi to the furthest digit. Why is this important and how does one find the next number anyhow? |
ELI5: How does something such as a random number generator work? Won't a computer follow a pattern for an algorithm that is not random to produce an artificial "random" number? | 5zz61u | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Why do many unrelated youtubers seem to hit subscriber milestones at the same time? | 602o66 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5: Mathematical relations; reflexivety, symmetry and transitivity | 60ii35 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I can very vaguely understand the mathematical statements for these, but I can't seem to be able to form coherent answers or find any working logic to logical challenges regarding these. The rules are A={a,b,c} for reflexivety: xRx, for x in A for symmetry: xRy => yRx for x,y in A and x!=y for transitivity xRy and yRz => xRz, for x,y,z in A and x != y != z But beyond looking at the symbols and saying "yup, there's some kind of logic at play here", I can't figure out - at all - as to how I can solve problems relating the thing. |
ELI5: how is crime-reporting precentage calculated? | 60qgwh | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | when reading crime statistics, i often see things like "compared to previous years, the reporting precentage of crime X has gone up/down" but how do they know that? in order to know a reporting-percentage, you have to know how many aren't reported, right? and unless i'm missing something, that's an unknowable number by definition. |
ELI5:Area of square vs circle | 60w4rm | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Hey! I just got my mind blown. If I transform square into a circle, its area is bigger than squares.. To me it seems unreal. I even checked it mathematically. But... I thought they would be the same , cause , for example, if I take a sheet of square shaped paper ( it has a certain area a times a) and shred it into tiny pieces... and then put it all together to form a circle shape. How in the ... it can have covered greater amount of area than the square if it doesnt have more "resources" to do that? |
ELI5 Why is the set of real numbers uncountable? | 612wxr | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Why do we have repeating decimals such as 1/3 = .333..? Is there a fundamental Flaw in our math. | 61azja | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5:why does an infinite number of 1$ bills have the same value as an infinite number of 50$ bills? | 61b2d0 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: What is the basis of the square root of 1 being i? | 61ktnh | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5:Pendulum (mathematics) | 61o2jo | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Hello, can someone Eli5 this part of mathematics? Thanks :) |
ELI5:how to find upper and lower confidence limits from a set of results. | 61sror | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | statistics! explain to me like if i'm 5! I just need to show a possible range It sounds harder than it is, All it is is taking 2 results and finding the mean. e.g. 4+6 = 10 divide 2 (to find mean) = 5 and adding and subtracting a number to find the range of possible results. after that how do you find the deviation and standard error? |
ELI5: How does Zero to the Power of Zero Equal One? 0^0 = 1 | 61svp7 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I tried to wrap my head around the zero exponent and I was able to understand why n^0 equals 1. The logic I used to understand that completely goes out of the window when it comes to 0^0 though. The best explanation I found was 'it has to for exponent rules to make sense', but surely that's not a good answer. Thanks for your help! |
ELI5: What are these mathematical notations (O n/2, O[1]) etc supposed to convey in terms of sorting/searching algorithms? | 627d9u | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5:In polling and statistics what does Confidence Interval mean? Follow up: What is Confidence Interval Separation? | 629j1t | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5:Is complicated math really useful or mathematicians just invent dimensions and weird math just to say they are actually doing something? | 62ajdl | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: why can't you divide by zero? | 62dytm | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | According to logic, if division is splicing a number into equal parts, dividing by zero would be 0 parts, and the result would be 0, right? |
ELI5: Difference between P(B|A) and P(A) ? High school statistics | 62hnys | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | hello everyone, I've been watching a lot of the khan academy videos recently, and found them to be very well explained for the most part. However, I have been learning about introductory statistics for the past few days, and one thing I'm really confused about is conditional probability plus bayes theorem For example, many of the practise exercises begin with statements such as P(A) = 0.5, P(B) = 0.6.. etc Then later in the same question, I will be told P(B|A) = 0.7 or P(A|B) = 0.8 or something, which really doesn't make sense to me... I began my approach to questions by drawing out tree branches for P(A) = 0.5 and P'(A) = 0.5, followed by P(B) = 0.6 and P'(B) = 0.4.. I then multiply P(A) and P(B) together to find P(A n B) but apparantely that is wrong would someone be so kind as to explain what the difference between P(A) and P(A|B) would be? and why to find P(A n B) I need to multiply P(A|B) and P(B) rather than P(A)*P(B)? |
ELI5: What is the purpose of even and odd numbers? | 4rcgl1 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: What's so special about the Fibonacci sequence? | 4rfq2v | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: 90% Confidence Intervals | 4rpr5o | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5: How are statistics regarding space calculated? | 4rrypv | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | For example, the chance of an asteroid hitting us, since the universe is virtually infinite, should also be there an infinite amount of asteroids to mess up the formula? |
ELI5:What Exactly is the Federal Gov't looking for if they aren't raising rates now? Without raising rates, what will they do at the next recession? | 4spu5q | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Logical and/or mathematical error in the "if you don't vote for Hillary, you're voting for Trump" statement | 4sz0fg | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: How is .99 repeating a rational number? | 4szxr3 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | My understanding is that for a number to be rational, it needs to be able to be represented as a fraction, and that all repeating decimals can be represented as (repeating portion)/(same number of 9's). .99 repeating would then be 9/9, which is 1. I don't understand how it can still be concidered a rational number |
ELI5:I've heard password hashes explained as 'a one way trapdoor', can someone elaborate? | 4t1isp | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: How to calculate the percentage of receiving 3 of the same cards. | 4t1x18 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | http://8gmwp015fo-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/05/Cabalists-Tome-1.0.jpg In this post it shows that the probability to get 3 times the same card is 0,005%. My question is, how did they calculate that? I've been trying multiple ways for hours but nothing made sense. Basic things to know are: 28 different cards, you receive 3 cards. So how do you calculate what percentage you have of receiving 3 of the same cards? |
ELI5: Paypal Credit & How Much It'll Cost.. | 4t44q3 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Why can't you compare fruit? | 4t7q3f | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: the i number in mathematics? | 4tewrq | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Why is flair so important to this stupid subreddit? | 4thhh2 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Banach Tarski paradox | 4tr6h1 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Can someone break down the Banach Tarski paradox? Does it have implications in applied science? |
ELI5 Why is gambling illegal in some places (online, video games) but legal in Casinos? | 4tro6i | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Why are even and odd items characterized as the opposite designation from the real world in zero indexed programming languages? | 4ttfk2 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5:what would happen if the fed just erased all the debt the US has by giving out money to the debtees? | 4u4cq8 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Why do humans need humor when I never see an animal in the wild laugh? | 4uc3gc | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Why does adding 2 even numbers give an even, 2 odds gives an even, and 1 of each give an odd? | 4uebzj | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: How is synthetic division done? | 4vejai | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5: How do they measure how fast a continent is moving? | 4vi6f3 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | For example, https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4vgflt/til_australia_is_moving_7cm_north_every_year_it/ Edit: Thanks for all the replies, everyone. |
ELI5: What are the odds of rolling a 6 if you roll six 6 sided dice? | 4vj6ju | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | You roll 1 it's 1 in 6, you roll 2 it's 2 in 6 etc. But obviously rolling 6 does not make it 6/6. Why not? SOLVED Thanks guys |
ELI5: [Maths] If the direction is slicing through the plane, does that direction belong to the plane? | 62ux6b | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | Sorry if I have used the wrong terms, I'm translating from the Croatian. :) |
ELI5: How is the cost of car ins urance calculated? | 62ypgo | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5: Irrational Numbers - How do we know? | 63q1sc | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | How do we know irrational numbers don't end? We're taught that there are numbers that don't end ever since middle school math, but one thing that is never explained is how we know they don't end. What I mean is, couldn't the numbers just be really REALLY long, and we simply haven't found the end yet? Is there a mathematical way to prove that they don't end or is it more of an educated guess? EDIT: Sorry the language I used wasn't clear. What I meant was more how do we know certain numbers (for example, pi) never end. (Also, thanks for all the answers) |
ELI5: Why Do I Count 4 Numbers Between 5-6-7-8, But The Range Between 5-8 Is 3? | 64hacy | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Markov Chains | 64if7j | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I found some explanation in the Internet but all is loaded with tons of math from beginning. Anyone can explain the "philosophy" of Markov chains without too much math or, at least, with math and explanation of what the letters in the formulas mean? Thanks in advance |
ELI5: How do I calculate time it will take when I already have speed and distance? | 64lzlv | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: How is Cronbach's alpha calculated and why is it important? | 64uull | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | null |
ELI5: Why do two negative numbers yield a positive number when multiplied together? | 64zs0s | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I know that it's a pretty commonly accepted fact but I haven't really found a mathematical foundation for this part of integers. |
ELI5 How are 3D shapes described in 3D files | 64zu8k | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [deleted] |
ELI5:50:50 Probability & True/False Questions | 653em4 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | "Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States; true or false?" Assuming I was attempting to answer this question, but didn't know the correct answer, is it true that I would have a 50% chance of guessing correctly? This doesn't seem right, as the correct answer will be "true" 100% of the time. I also wouldn't have occasion to ever guess more than once. This seems different from a simple coin flip, in which if I guess "heads" 100 times I will be right roughly 50/100 times. Put another way, it seems to me that probabilities aren't appropriate for describing non-random events, such as geographical trivia. They're only appropriate for describing random events, such as the outcomes of a typical coin-flip. What am I missing? |
ELI5: If there are infinite numbers between 1 and 2, how could there possibly be a 2? | 658h16 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | For there to be a 2, there has to be a point where 1 ends and 2 begins, but as we know there are infinite numbers in between those two. This has been confusing me for a couple of hours now. |
ELI5: What is Matroid Theory? | 65jnyp | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I know some people who are mathematicians and work in the field of matroid theory. What does it study specifically? I'm not a mathematician so I have no clue what they're talking about. |
ELI5: How to prove which triangles are congruent? | 65jptp | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | [removed] |
ELI5: Concept of division | 6606gs | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | I apologize if this is not the appropriate subreddit for this but I was hoping for an ELI5 answer for the concept of division. My little brother is having a lot of trouble understanding the concept of division when it comes to solving word problems. For example if the question says, "There are 24 blankets and they are placed separately into 6 rooms and each room contains the same amount of blankets. How many blankets are there in 3 rooms?" He knows how to divide but he doesn't know how to associate these kind of problems with division. I am not a teacher so I don't really have a good way to explain this to him. I'm hoping for an ELI5 answer that I can share with him to help him. Thanks. |
ELI5: What exactly makes something 2d? | 66dem6 | false | explainlikeimfive | Mathematics | The definition of 2d is "having or appearing to have length and breadth but no depth". What exactly are the limits for "no depth" or "breadth"? Graphene for example is only one atom thick, so would it be 2d even if you can pick it up? If this is the case, wouldn't this mean that drawings are more 3D because they are probably thicker than one atom. Also, could hair be considered 2d because it is long, but the width is practically nonexistent? |