Equal Thirds of One

Fear&Loathing

Fear&Loathing

Grumpy
I recall a post by a certain member of another website similar to this one, in which the poster maintained in almost defiant terms, that equal thirds of one were impossible. At the time, it seemed like any logical argument was dismissed by said poster, and the erred argument of equal thirds of one was held onto with a fierce dependence, by this same poster (we'll call him Dixie). No matter what was said Dixie either didn't want to or couldn't "get it".

I could draw parallels between this posters argument for equal thirds of one and this person's position on the Iraq War. After almost 6 years, this poster still "doesn't get it". But this person on a political scale is merely symbolic of a much larger idea that exists within the Republican party and it's leader John McCain. John Mccain and the Republicans "don't get it."

John McCain and the Republicans, don't get that the war was pointless, and implemented with incompetency, they don't get the consequences of waging an unending, costly war. They don't get the need for energy independence, universal health care and tax breaks for small businesses. They don't get that John McCain represents the same corrupted, incompetent leaders we've been seeing for the last 8 years. Like a neutered dog, they don't get it.

Vote the bastards out, 2008!
 
LOL... One still can't be divided by three without producing a remainder, I just checked it again. Until you figure out what to do with that pesky remainder, I don't think you can define and even division of one by three. If it can't be defined evenly, it can't be called 'equal' in my opinion. You can divide the remainder into thirds, but that also produces a remainder, and you can divide it by thirds as well, but... same problem, you will always have a remaining portion, it can't be resolved. It's like, if I said, 1+Infinity= ? What does it equal? Can you resolve that problem for me? Nope, it can't be resolved, we don't know the answer because we can't define the value of infinity. Does this mean addition doesn't exist or won't work? Nope, it just means we don't know the answer and can't define one. Such is the case when you divide one by three, it can't be resolved completely.

Iraq is still 'the right thing to do' and will always be 'the right thing' no matter how much history you rewrite, or how many times you repeat your left-wing hate-America lies. Sorry, that's the fact of the matter, and it won't change... not in 7 years, not in 700 years.

As for "throwing out" people, if what I just read is true, I think you might ought to try and find another profession, because your campaign is done. We already know Math Teacher and History Teacher is out of the question for you, so you'll probably have to take a job at McDonald's... please, just try to get my drive-thru order right, okay?
 
uscitizen said:
1/3 by definition is 1 divided by 3.
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Well, yes... but 1/3 is a simple division problem, as are all fractional representations. It equals .333333E and the remainder can be carried as many places as is sufficient for the satisfactory resolution of the problem. For instance, you can divide a pie into "thirds", and maybe one piece will be .30, another will be .36 and the third will be .34 and this is sufficient to resolve the problem of dividing the pie into "thirds" perceived as "equal" to the average Joe. However, if you were maybe trying to divide an atom into thirds, this measurement would not be accurate enough, you would have to continue dividing the remainder until it became insignificant to the resolution. In no case could you ever completely resolve the three parts equally, just close enough to equal for whatever purpose it is applied to.

To clarify what I have said, it is not that 1/3 doesn't exist, it is not that thirds can't be perceived as equal, we do it all the time. Without resolving the remainder in your division problem of 1/3, you can't definitively declare it resolved, therefore, it remains forever unresolved. 1/3's of 1 are never completely equal, one will always have to include some extra portion, the remainder, which completes the sum of 1. If one portion is indeed greater than the others, they are, by definition, not equal.
 
Dixie said:
Well, yes... but 1/3 is a simple division problem, as are all fractional representations. It equals .333333E and the remainder can be carried as many places as is sufficient for the satisfactory resolution of the problem. For instance, you can divide a pie into "thirds", and maybe one piece will be .30, another will be .36 and the third will be .34 and this is sufficient to resolve the problem of dividing the pie into "thirds" perceived as "equal" to the average Joe. However, if you were maybe trying to divide an atom into thirds, this measurement would not be accurate enough, you would have to continue dividing the remainder until it became insignificant to the resolution. In no case could you ever completely resolve the three parts equally, just close enough to equal for whatever purpose it is applied to.

To clarify what I have said, it is not that 1/3 doesn't exist, it is not that thirds can't be perceived as equal, we do it all the time. Without resolving the remainder in your division problem of 1/3, you can't definitively declare it resolved, therefore, it remains forever unresolved. 1/3's of 1 are never completely equal, one will always have to include some extra portion, the remainder, which completes the sum of 1. If one portion is indeed greater than the others, they are, by definition, not equal.
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It is also a fraction. Do you remember doing fractions when you were in 5th grade?

Tell me, Dix. What is x? 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = X
 
uscitizen said:
I guess Dixie did not make it past 3rd grade.
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I actually graduated college and everything. I don't understand what the big deal is here, other than, it seems people don't want to see what I am saying. Maybe you just don't want to agree with it, maybe you are all stupid beyond belief? I don't know, but it fascinates the shit out of me for some reason. I think I have explained it about 200 times now, and you all still want to argue about it. There is nothing to argue about, it's simple math. If 1 could be divided equally by three with no remainder, I would not argue with you, I would say, hey... you're right, that is the case, end of argument! But for some unexplained reason, you guys (including Damo) want to continue rehashing this silly debate that shouldn't even be debatable. AMAZING... FUCKING AMAZING!

1/3 is a fraction, a fractional representation of a division problem. The answer is .3333E ...key it into any damn calculator you like, that is the answer to the problem of 1/3. If .333+.333+.333=1, then you would have a point, and I would be wrong, but that isn't the case, it equals .999, not 1! It won't ever equal 1, no matter how long you divide the remainder, that is what is meant by "infinity" and since it is infinite, you can't declare it resolved. You can assume it resolved and perceive it resolved, and that is precisely what we do, everyday, in dozens of applications and calculations.
 
Yay, it's back! Decimal number representations are no more accurate or defined than fractional representation or any other base number system. 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, not 2.99999e. And 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = 1.

I don't know that it indicates that he does not get it. After all the explanations I am sure Dixie must have realized his error. He is just too stubborn to admit his error.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_(mathematics)
 
Of course equal thirds of one is possible. The repeating decimals is just a side effect of trying to represent it decimally.
 
uscitizen said:
Ohh Dixie is limited to Calculators. that explains it.
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There are many calculators that can add and subtract fractionally without the necessity of first dividing.

It is mathematically self-limiting to solely limit the expression to either base 10 math and only decimally. Fractions are both a division problem, and a direct expression of a concept in math without the necessity of translating it into a decimal.
 
Damocles said:
You are math retarded.

They all have a common denominator. 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = 3/3 = 1
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Your equation assumes the remainder. As I said, we assume the remainder and presume the problem as resolved, we have no other choice. Your assumption is not incorrect, it just isn't definitively equal. 1/3=.3333E and when you add that together 3 times, it comes out to .9999E, which is not 1, but as close as we can get to 1 without being 1. The remainder becomes insignificant at some point, depending on the application, but the remainder still exists. Maybe it is defined as "equal" to the closest tenth, hundredth, thousandth, millionth, billionth, or trillionth... depends on the application, but unless you know of some way to resolve the remainder, it can't be defined and must be assumed at some point down the line.
 
Dixie said:
Your equation assumes the remainder. As I said, we assume the remainder and presume the problem as resolved, we have no other choice. Your assumption is not incorrect, it just isn't definitively equal. 1/3=.3333E and when you add that together 3 times, it comes out to .9999E, which is not 1, but as close as we can get to 1 without being 1. The remainder becomes insignificant at some point, depending on the application, but the remainder still exists. Maybe it is defined as "equal" to the closest tenth, hundredth, thousandth, millionth, billionth, or trillionth... depends on the application, but unless you know of some way to resolve the remainder, it can't be defined and must be assumed at some point down the line.
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There is no remainder in the equation, you falsely attempt to assert that the problem must first be divided before the addition is completed.

Again, it is simply math retarded to assume all things must be expressed decimally. It is a system devised solely on the number of fingers you have and certainly not the only way to express a mathematical equation. The simplest is to simply add the fractions and see that it is a whole number.

Some more confusing ways is to use numbering systems that are not based on the number of fingers you have.

Base 12 math would suffice as an example. 1/3 = .4 in Base 12 math.

Math is much like English, concepts can be expressed in more than one way.
 
Dixie said:
1/3 is a fraction, a fractional representation of a division problem. The answer is .3333E ...key it into any damn calculator you like, that is the answer to the problem of 1/3. If .333+.333+.333=1, then you would have a point, and I would be wrong, but that isn't the case, it equals .999, not 1! It won't ever equal 1, no matter how long you divide the remainder, that is what is meant by "infinity" and since it is infinite, you can't declare it resolved. You can assume it resolved and perceive it resolved, and that is precisely what we do, everyday, in dozens of applications and calculations.
Click to expand...

Okay, I plug in, 1 / 3 * 3 = .... 1 or I can do 1 / 3 + 1 / 3 + 1 / 3 = ... 1.

1/3 != .333.
 
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