Actual textbook physics problem

[SqualusAcanthias]

Is it possible you just assumed it was a trick question without doing any calculations?
And: Where is that goal supposed to be?

[shaddack]

@SqualusAcanthias

Yes, thats why I wrote “rough” addition, I didn´t take all the fractions down for the final addition

When I cannot avoid such hairy numbers, I like working with two more digits than what’s really needed. That is usually enough to absorb this kind of inaccuracies.

[LemoUtan]

@semiotix

Grant denied.

Ah. ℝpolitik.

[SabineAgain]

But is the answer to A the distance traveled (along the path you drew on the grid) since starting or, literally, how far away are you from the starting point, in an as-the-crow-flies sense? Wish it specified.

[shaddack]

@SabineAgain

But is the answer to A the distance traveled (along the path you drew on the grid) since starting or, literally, how far away are you from the starting point, in an as-the-crow-flies sense? Wish it specified.

Why choose? We can have 'em all!
2.67 km as crow flies.
3.25 km to walk on the rectangular grid.
5.25 km driven by the car.

[LemoUtan]

I’m going to go for teleportation myself.

[dave_b]

Follow up question you now know the distance and angle to the hide out. Given 5kg cannon balls calculate the force and angle needed to end the scourge of political science majours.

[Aloisius]

Those political science people would be the richest engineers on the planet if they simply switched careers.

I mean a car that can accelerate and decelerate instantaneously and take 90 degree turns at 50 km/h? With one gear? That’s amazing.

[daneel]

@Aloisius

take 90 degree turns at 50 km/h

Batman Batmobile - Grappling Hook 1989

[waetherman]

@shaddack

When compared with physics, the science-ness of political “science” gets pretty low.

Hari Seldon disagrees.

[daneel]

Yeah, like psychohistory was Seldon’s idea.

[coherent_light]

I skipped the math. Because these are polisci majors, not mathematicists.

Ethos, logos, and pathos will likely be more effective here.

[adonai]

post about a joke in a maths question
BBS goes on to solve the equation

I love this place sometimes

[anon34812172]

I looked at it and thought, “not too far away. I bet I could take these guys.”

[CDBoch]

When I saw the question, I knew the text and author immediately. It could be non-other than Dr. Jearl Walker. Probably the best undergraduate physics professor in America. He probably reads Boing-Boing too. At least it wouldn’t surprise me if he did.

[noahdjango]

@marence

Jearl Walker

I know that name, he’s been consulted by Cecil Adams on a few occasions. Good stuff.

[anon8420928]

@awfulhorrid

here in the University of Wisconsin

Madison? That’s such a lovely campus, and like right across from the capitol. Loved that city.

(Worth the fucking unfair parking ticket.)

[L_Mariachi]

@shaddack

The direction related to the eastward direction is arcsin(40/160)=arcsin(0.25)=14.5° towards the north, or 75.5° clockwise from the initial direction.

Why? Shouldn’t any series of 90° turns result in a multiple of 90? (Assuming the earth is effectively a flat plane at the scale of this problem.)

[shaddack]

@L_Mariachi

Shouldn’t any series of 90° turns result in a multiple of 90?

Only unless we are moving.
Walk 10 steps to east, then turn 90 degrees left and walk 10 steps to north. You are now in azimuth 45 degrees.

@L_Mariachi

Assuming the earth is effectively a flat plane at the scale of this problem.

Bonus point! Few people are able to get out of the shackles of Eukleides. Happens to me rather often too.

[awfulhorrid]

@slybevel

Madison? That’s such a lovely campus, and like right across from the capitol. Loved that city.

UW-Parkside, actually. (The Kenosha area - one of the two UW schools not named for their city.) Our campus is pretty cool too, although UW-Madison is lovely. We have a much better parking situation, though.