Why is this mathematically wrong? ?

Favorite Answer

This reminds me of an old mathematical joke...

Women = time * money

...and as we all know, "time is money":

Time = Money

...and therefore:

Women = Money * Money = (Money)^2

...and because "Money is the root of all evil":

Money = sqrt(evil)

...therefore:

Women = (sqrt[evil])^2

...and we are forced to conclude that:

Women = Evil ...Show more

Well to start,

No study+study= Fail + No Fail should be No study+study= No Fail - Fail

Also, you already propose that Study = No Fail. Unless No Fail = Fail, then Study cannot equal both Fail and No Fail at the same time....Show more

All the answers above, and only fishtank is correct.

The problem is in the first two assumptions. Let's see if changing study to apples and fail to oranges helps.

Let No = 2

Therefore

Let
2 apples = 1 orange

and let
2 oranges = 1 apple

Right here there is a problem. You can't have both postulates true unless both apples and oranges equal zero. As general rules for the remainder of the derivation, the postulates don't work.

Also Jake

In Australia, due to the colloquial meaning for root, the line above your punch line is even funnier (although riske)...Show more

That's pretty good. If you were looking for a serious answer (which I know you're not), I would have to say that you haven't defined the operations + and * on any set containing "No", "Study", "Fail", "1", and the multiplicative inverse of No + 1 (which is the only way you could divide it off). You also haven't proved the distributive property on those operations.

;-)...Show more

The 5th step is unlawful. =) we've started with a = b suitable? So once you divide with the aid of (a - b) then, it potential (a - a) or ( b - a ) that's 0. Dividing the two factors with the aid of 0 (0) is indefinite, or you are able to put in the risk of "Infinity", if so, something of the stairs can not shop on with it. Its a mathematical fallacy. :-) Have a effective day!...Show more