by Band on the Run 101 Replies latest jw friends
@ Razziel: You have certainly piqued both my interest and curiosity about your work with Fermat's Last Theorem. Please keep us apprised as to your progress.
By the way, is anyone else involved in some mathematical research or has been in the past? I'd love to hear about what you have done.
Quendi
Quendi it was my friend who really piqued my interest in FLT. After I graduated college, I took a podunk job just to get to the big city. Met a coworker Engineer and we quickly became friends. Turns out he was an Ex-JW who got DF'd and left because his newborn needed a blood transfusion. How strange is that?
Anyway, I'm astounded at the classical mathematical works he has read since then, and he has helped educate me a lot on the history of mathematics. We both switched jobs but get together every few weeks and work on mathematics and physics problems ranging from FLT to reconciling the Theory of Relativiy with Quantum Physics, to Green Energy.
He encouraged me to look at FLT, so I did and came up with that solution domain, and we have done some interesting things. I'm hesitant to say more simply because I have yet to find anyone else who has tried our path to a solution. Like I said, the odds are low simply because of how many people have tried to solve this before, but it's fun to try, and we've noticed/learned some very interesting things that may provide a path towards a solution without resorting to "new math".
A close friend studied at the Courant Institute. He told me it was special but I thougth perahps it was special locally. The very sad part is that he developed severe shizoprhenia and could not continue or do any advanced math. His eyes lit up when he discussed math even at the peak of his illness.
I am so impressed with so many former Witnesses excelling in Math at universities and beyond. It is contrast to my liberal arts- history and politcal science career. Basically, I could only do courses with no prerequisites. This thread is proof that you can transcend the WT.
This thread heightened my interest.
My worst subject ever was Physics but that can wait for another lifetime.
This t hread is proof that you can transcend the WT.
@ Razziel: It's well past midnight in Alabama and I'm heading for bed but I wanted to thank you for what you have said. I'd like to learn more. I'll also share a little about the research I conducted in magic squares some years back. As in anything that at first appears so simple in mathematics, my mates and I soon found we had tumbled down a rabbit's hole into a Wonderland of mathematics. For now I will only say that the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra figured prominently in our findings. More later.
@ BOTR: You get all the credit, my dear, for initiating a discussion that continues to draw different people in and has collected more than 1100 looks so far. What you wrote about 'transcending the WT' is both correct and sobering. Getting out of the cult was very liberating but I am glad that even while I was still in, I had the presence of mind to pursue a college education. Getting a degree in mathematics fulfilled a lifelong dream and it pleases me no end to have met others on this thread who, whether they have a degree or not, share the same drive and passion for the "queen of the sciences". Let me encourage you to pursue your own studies in whatever way you find best for you will be richly rewarded. At the same time, I feel so sorry for those we've left behind in the WTS. They lead intellectually impoverished lives, devoid of curiosity, initiative and the wonder of discovery.
@ talesin: I want to thank you for the expressions of appreciation you have given on this thread. What I said to BOTR I say to you as well. Thanks to the Intenet, the resources are there for any and all who wish to learn more. The Khan Institute, whose URL Billy the Ex Bethelite has been so kind to circulate among us, is a good place to start. Knowing you, I don't doubt you'll find other resources to aid in your own research.
Quendi
BOTR
My first (pre JW) degree is in English. After becoming a JW and wasting 10 years as a JW I went back to school and picked up a certificate in accounting and business managment. That event may well have been the beginning of my exit. Actually when I think about it I didn't completely waste those years. I was working at Washington State U and could take classes for free so I took some physics, algebra, sociology and communication clases. Since getting the certificate I've taken classes in finance, law, HR, taxes, computer science and real estate, plus avid reading in all sorts of subjects, most especially history.
I highly recommend a broad education for anybody and everybody. I think the grounding in both liberal arts and an applied math has served me well.
Quendi: x 2 = x + 1
x = 1.61803398874989, x = -0.618033988749895
More or less ...
@ 00DAD: We have a winner! Or, another way of expressing the positive root of this equation:
And that, my friends, is the Golden Ratio, the number inextricably tied to the Fibonacci series.
Quendi
For some reason I can't cut and paste the symbolic form of the solution from MS Word, so I'll try it this way. The solution 00DAD gives is the correct one, but another way of writing it is this form: (1 + √5)/2. This is the celebrated "Golden Ratio" and is related to the Fibonacci numbers this way:
Cool, Quendi! What do I win?
