First, let me start off this little blog post with a not-so-famous quote:
"dunno
i lazy help you write programming qns
esp when you suan me until liddat"
This hurtful message was sent to me via MSN, and I believe it to be most untrue. After much reflection, I concluded a few things.
{centralise} {bold} {underline} {times} Reflections{/underline}{bold}{justified}
{spam}
{insert random long and monotonous introduction here}
I deeply regret the fact that I did not state prior to this that any and every of the characters on my blog are totally ficticious and all resemblence to any living or dead person in the world you call real is probably unintended and unreal. If you make the connection and strongly believe in it, please note that not everybody may think the same way. This will prevent tensions from arising. Just to add to the word count and make this more obvious, Don't Link My Rants To The Real World. Moo! I meant "Rawr!".
{boring conclusion to bring word count closer to the prescribed limit}
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Programming question (for a certain penquin and co.)
To start off, more accurate would be co. and penquin, but that sounds weird.
Anyway, this question was inspired by both a simplish math question and a comment from C_o_s, whoever that is.
So you are given 2 integers a and b, which you want to express in the form of:
x!y!....weird!/c!d!...weirder!
(Recall that 3!=6, just like pi != pie)
C_o_s quickly realises this is trivial (say a!(b-1)!/b!(a-1)!) works.
Hence, he suggests limiting all of x, y, ..., c, d, .... to primes, not necessarily distinct. He thinks for another second, and realises that the proof of existence is simply trivial. Hence, he has raised (and solved 2 seconds later) the question of how many prime factorials are needed to express a/b in the desired form.
Eg1: 2/3= 2!2!/3!, hence the answer is 3.
Eg2: 3/5=3!3!2!/5!, hence the answer is 4.
Input: a number n, stating how many prime factors a has
a number m, stating how many prime factors b has
n numbers, which are the prime factors of a
n numbers, the powers of the prime factors of a
m numbers, which are the prime factors of b
m numbers, the powers of the prime factors of b
Bounds should be around 500 primes from the first 1000 primes. Powers should be at most 100?
VINTAGE (Very important note to all generic entrants): The test cases have not been created because C_o_s is suspected to be lazy.
Anyway, this question was inspired by both a simplish math question and a comment from C_o_s, whoever that is.
So you are given 2 integers a and b, which you want to express in the form of:
x!y!....weird!/c!d!...weirder!
(Recall that 3!=6, just like pi != pie)
C_o_s quickly realises this is trivial (say a!(b-1)!/b!(a-1)!) works.
Hence, he suggests limiting all of x, y, ..., c, d, .... to primes, not necessarily distinct. He thinks for another second, and realises that the proof of existence is simply trivial. Hence, he has raised (and solved 2 seconds later) the question of how many prime factorials are needed to express a/b in the desired form.
Eg1: 2/3= 2!2!/3!, hence the answer is 3.
Eg2: 3/5=3!3!2!/5!, hence the answer is 4.
Input: a number n, stating how many prime factors a has
a number m, stating how many prime factors b has
n numbers, which are the prime factors of a
n numbers, the powers of the prime factors of a
m numbers, which are the prime factors of b
m numbers, the powers of the prime factors of b
Bounds should be around 500 primes from the first 1000 primes. Powers should be at most 100?
VINTAGE (Very important note to all generic entrants): The test cases have not been created because C_o_s is suspected to be lazy.
Friday, December 25, 2009
The conservation of fail
First, a bit of personal experience on fail. Fail is an omnipresent thing. You see it on failblog, you see it on the streets, you see it quite a lot in certain concerts (such as thumping noises from the backstage), and you see it all over the place during certain Math trainings. However, I have noticed that even though fail permeates every possible spot, the theories of fail seem to be scattered and few. As such, I will express my thoughts on fail.
1) A definition: Fail is the deviation of reality from expectations.
2) Another definition: Expectations are mostly average (ie. if people are above average* of the field, they are above expectations, and vice versa)
3) Hence, if we let the proficiencies of people in an arbitrary and absolutely random subject be a1, a2, a3, ... , an, then fail = (a1-a2)+(a1-a3)+(a1-a4)+ ... +(a1-an)+(a2-a1)+(a2-a3)+....(an-a(n-1))
That equals to 0.
Restating, the sum of fail is 0.
4) Since sum of fail is constant (at 0), there is conservation of fail.
Implications:
1) If you fail more, people will fail less.
1.1) Failing can be good for your relationships
1.2) Failing can improve the lives of others and increase overall happiness.
Note: Fail can be of different forms, eg imagined fail, perceived fail, real fail, massive fail, or just plain fail, but overall fail is conserved.
* Arithmetic mean, of course
P.S. The quality of this article fails. Are you happy now?
P.P.S. This article was written by a bored person in front of a screen in 20 minutes without any prior research whatsoever, and if any information is wrong or misleading, please contact the hotline for pizza deliveries and have a nice time with your family. Have fail!
1) A definition: Fail is the deviation of reality from expectations.
2) Another definition: Expectations are mostly average (ie. if people are above average* of the field, they are above expectations, and vice versa)
3) Hence, if we let the proficiencies of people in an arbitrary and absolutely random subject be a1, a2, a3, ... , an, then fail = (a1-a2)+(a1-a3)+(a1-a4)+ ... +(a1-an)+(a2-a1)+(a2-a3)+....(an-a(n-1))
That equals to 0.
Restating, the sum of fail is 0.
4) Since sum of fail is constant (at 0), there is conservation of fail.
Implications:
1) If you fail more, people will fail less.
1.1) Failing can be good for your relationships
1.2) Failing can improve the lives of others and increase overall happiness.
Note: Fail can be of different forms, eg imagined fail, perceived fail, real fail, massive fail, or just plain fail, but overall fail is conserved.
* Arithmetic mean, of course
P.S. The quality of this article fails. Are you happy now?
P.P.S. This article was written by a bored person in front of a screen in 20 minutes without any prior research whatsoever, and if any information is wrong or misleading, please contact the hotline for pizza deliveries and have a nice time with your family. Have fail!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
On light
For many many years, since the start of man, light has been an amazing thing. Fire was made for the sake of light. It was hailed as a great invention. Fluorescent light bulbs have such successful inventions in the history of man such that nowadays, even good and creative ideas in comics have been represented with the lighted bulb symbol over the head!
Over the years, light sources have gradually become more efficient, starting with the failed matchstick/candle/candle lantern/bonfire (ok this one IS bright, but that's a problem of scale)/fires in general, and followed by the incandescent light bulbs (remember those white street lamps that were replaced with yellow?*), to the imba light bulbs used today! Technology advances have been so great that for select areas the lighting can even match daylight in terms of brightness! At this rate, are we all headed to doom by blindness owing to overluminousity?
Fret not! So what if light bulbs get more powerful? The light can be split over many different areas!
Such a brilliant idea! We know that light can be put through prisms, reflected across mirrors, sliced and diced and have weird stuff done to it, and hence can be spread across a larger area! But has anybody thought of splitting it across time? (uh oh)
Global warming has forced everybody into caves (manmade tunnels that curve a long long way underground/through hills and twist and turn and turn and twist and are really really long (about 100 million kilometers before leading to actual human civilisation, so as to provide insulation) .
Now, man has made a total of five tunnels, of which entrances are all facing the end of a certain road (picture included below) and to provide light, a giant spotlight has been built and the end of the road! The giant spotlight shines into each tunnel for 1 second, takes 1 second to turn, and shines for 1 second, turns for 1 second etc. That is to say, if 1/10 of the power is used to shine into each tunnel, all will be well!
Map of end of road
Road
. \
. \ /
. -- S --
. / \
Now, there is nothing to split the light evenly among all 5 tunnels, so 1 second of light is required to light up each tunnel for 10 whole seconds! Now, light sharing is an already effectively established system within each tunnel, but... HEADACHE! Splitting light across time is such a huge problem!... or is it?
As luck would have it, the walls of the tunnel and quite irregularly shaped, and as such some clever people decided that planting mirrors along the sides of the walls would be good, such that light actually gets to the part of the tunnel where it is needed. So every surface in the tunnel is blocked by perfectly clear mirrors (ie no loss of light through reflection). If a particle of light were a sapient** being, and it wished to travel from the spotlight to the end of a tunnel, it would take about 5 minutes and 30 seconds (right?). However, as we know it, a light particle is not exactly sapient, and would prefer to travel in straight lines until it is bumped on. Hence, the percentage of light particles that travel in the abovementioned "optimal path" would be of an extremely small percentage, and as such there will be a distribution of light over time even if the spotlight shone for an infinitesimally short timespan.
Hence, man survives using light solely from the spotlight, and gets relatively even light over time. Is that not a perfect solution?
Any comments? (Honestly, does it even work?????)
* Was that even true?
* My understanding of sapience is the ability to know what one wants to do the way a human does (and in this case, do it)
P.S. A rather uninteresting solution to disproving it that I foresee is that it is physically impossible to produce the amount of light needed to illuminate such large areas, or something to the effect, but as that is rather unsatisfying, those who propose that could try the following variation. Would a similar effect be observed on a much smaller scale?
Over the years, light sources have gradually become more efficient, starting with the failed matchstick/candle/candle lantern/bonfire (ok this one IS bright, but that's a problem of scale)/fires in general, and followed by the incandescent light bulbs (remember those white street lamps that were replaced with yellow?*), to the imba light bulbs used today! Technology advances have been so great that for select areas the lighting can even match daylight in terms of brightness! At this rate, are we all headed to doom by blindness owing to overluminousity?
Fret not! So what if light bulbs get more powerful? The light can be split over many different areas!
Such a brilliant idea! We know that light can be put through prisms, reflected across mirrors, sliced and diced and have weird stuff done to it, and hence can be spread across a larger area! But has anybody thought of splitting it across time? (uh oh)
Global warming has forced everybody into caves (manmade tunnels that curve a long long way underground/through hills and twist and turn and turn and twist and are really really long (about 100 million kilometers before leading to actual human civilisation, so as to provide insulation) .
Now, man has made a total of five tunnels, of which entrances are all facing the end of a certain road (picture included below) and to provide light, a giant spotlight has been built and the end of the road! The giant spotlight shines into each tunnel for 1 second, takes 1 second to turn, and shines for 1 second, turns for 1 second etc. That is to say, if 1/10 of the power is used to shine into each tunnel, all will be well!
Map of end of road
Road
. \
. \ /
. -- S --
. / \
Now, there is nothing to split the light evenly among all 5 tunnels, so 1 second of light is required to light up each tunnel for 10 whole seconds! Now, light sharing is an already effectively established system within each tunnel, but... HEADACHE! Splitting light across time is such a huge problem!... or is it?
As luck would have it, the walls of the tunnel and quite irregularly shaped, and as such some clever people decided that planting mirrors along the sides of the walls would be good, such that light actually gets to the part of the tunnel where it is needed. So every surface in the tunnel is blocked by perfectly clear mirrors (ie no loss of light through reflection). If a particle of light were a sapient** being, and it wished to travel from the spotlight to the end of a tunnel, it would take about 5 minutes and 30 seconds (right?). However, as we know it, a light particle is not exactly sapient, and would prefer to travel in straight lines until it is bumped on. Hence, the percentage of light particles that travel in the abovementioned "optimal path" would be of an extremely small percentage, and as such there will be a distribution of light over time even if the spotlight shone for an infinitesimally short timespan.
Hence, man survives using light solely from the spotlight, and gets relatively even light over time. Is that not a perfect solution?
Any comments? (Honestly, does it even work?????)
* Was that even true?
* My understanding of sapience is the ability to know what one wants to do the way a human does (and in this case, do it)
P.S. A rather uninteresting solution to disproving it that I foresee is that it is physically impossible to produce the amount of light needed to illuminate such large areas, or something to the effect, but as that is rather unsatisfying, those who propose that could try the following variation. Would a similar effect be observed on a much smaller scale?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tada! It's me again. And today I have a ""Life"" question for everyone!
In an infinite grid, there are squares of 2 colours!
The two colours and black and white!
There is something strange about the grid!
Oh! The colours of the grid are randomly generated!
Pause.
There is an x% chance that each square is white!
(Note: x may or may not be 50%)
Me comes along!
(No bad grammar there, Me is a person representative of well...me.)
Me defines a continuous block as a group of connected squares!
Two squares are connected if they satisfy two criteria!
First, they must be adjacent!
Secondly, they must be of the same colour!
Me has picked a random square from the grid (0,0)!
(0,0) is an arbitrary point!
Me knows that (0,0) is white!
For what range of x is it possible (more than 1/inf% chance) that (0,0) is part of an infinite continuous block?
And what is the chance (in terms of x) that it is possible that (0,0) is part of an infinite continuous block? (take x to be above the limit taken to make it possible to have an infinite block)
In an infinite grid, there are squares of 2 colours!
The two colours and black and white!
There is something strange about the grid!
Oh! The colours of the grid are randomly generated!
Pause.
There is an x% chance that each square is white!
(Note: x may or may not be 50%)
Me comes along!
(No bad grammar there, Me is a person representative of well...me.)
Me defines a continuous block as a group of connected squares!
Two squares are connected if they satisfy two criteria!
First, they must be adjacent!
Secondly, they must be of the same colour!
Me has picked a random square from the grid (0,0)!
(0,0) is an arbitrary point!
Me knows that (0,0) is white!
For what range of x is it possible (more than 1/inf% chance) that (0,0) is part of an infinite continuous block?
And what is the chance (in terms of x) that it is possible that (0,0) is part of an infinite continuous block? (take x to be above the limit taken to make it possible to have an infinite block)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sequences
Tada! Finally a new post after a long, loong, looong time of inactivity. This post is almost contentless except for a few devilishly hard sequences which I would like to share with everybody.
16, 4, 2, 21, 24, ?, ?, ?
14, 15, 20, 19, 3, 1, 18, 25, ?, ?, ?
9, 12, 15, 24, 3, ?, ?, ?
19, 7, 15, 20, 24, ?, ?, ?
17, 23, 23, 24, 11, ?, ?, ?
Anyway, if you solved ...
0 --- You aren't the best at seeing patterns
1-2 --- You saw more than me. Let that be consolation.
3-4 --- Keep up the good work.
5 --- HOW LONG WERE YOU STARING AT THOSE SEQUENCES!!!
Have fun with those sequences.
16, 4, 2, 21, 24, ?, ?, ?
14, 15, 20, 19, 3, 1, 18, 25, ?, ?, ?
9, 12, 15, 24, 3, ?, ?, ?
19, 7, 15, 20, 24, ?, ?, ?
17, 23, 23, 24, 11, ?, ?, ?
Anyway, if you solved ...
0 --- You aren't the best at seeing patterns
1-2 --- You saw more than me. Let that be consolation.
3-4 --- Keep up the good work.
5 --- HOW LONG WERE YOU STARING AT THOSE SEQUENCES!!!
Have fun with those sequences.
Friday, June 26, 2009
A random question
Here's a random puzzler.
Ok I just decided on 2. I have the solution to the first one (amoeba)
1) Our friend, Mr. Amoeba has 3/4 chance of reproducing into 2 offsprings, who are exactly like him, or he'll just die. What is the chance that he'll live forever if the first offspring of each amoeba takes 1 month to reproduce(or die) while the second takes 2 months? (provided global warming doesn't kill him like 20 years later)
2) Oh noes! J------Y has taken Y--a-'s waterbottle again. And this just to happen in the infinite maze of RI (a prison containing many captives who are never able to escape the infinite labyrinth). The design of RI is really simple (except for the bit about infinite looping and alternate universes). It consists of 4 exits at each intersection (N,E,S,W), and all passageways are of equal lengths. Now, J------Y takes 2 seconds to run each passageway, and Y--a- only takes 1, and J------Y looks like he is in deep trouble now, but... aha! a catch. J------Y has managed to keep Y--a- preoccupied with a Maths problem for a whole 4 seconds! To make it worse, Y--a- has myopia and can only see 1 passageway away. J------Y and Y--a- cant stop running: one fears for getting caught, one fears for losing his waterbottle for all eternity. What are the chances that Y--a- can catch J------Y and reclaim his waterbottle? (well... eventually)
Ok I just decided on 2. I have the solution to the first one (amoeba)
1) Our friend, Mr. Amoeba has 3/4 chance of reproducing into 2 offsprings, who are exactly like him, or he'll just die. What is the chance that he'll live forever if the first offspring of each amoeba takes 1 month to reproduce(or die) while the second takes 2 months? (provided global warming doesn't kill him like 20 years later)
2) Oh noes! J------Y has taken Y--a-'s waterbottle again. And this just to happen in the infinite maze of RI (a prison containing many captives who are never able to escape the infinite labyrinth). The design of RI is really simple (except for the bit about infinite looping and alternate universes). It consists of 4 exits at each intersection (N,E,S,W), and all passageways are of equal lengths. Now, J------Y takes 2 seconds to run each passageway, and Y--a- only takes 1, and J------Y looks like he is in deep trouble now, but... aha! a catch. J------Y has managed to keep Y--a- preoccupied with a Maths problem for a whole 4 seconds! To make it worse, Y--a- has myopia and can only see 1 passageway away. J------Y and Y--a- cant stop running: one fears for getting caught, one fears for losing his waterbottle for all eternity. What are the chances that Y--a- can catch J------Y and reclaim his waterbottle? (well... eventually)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
bing promotion!
Here's another new chess that brings yet more power to the bings. A good bing could even be worth more than 2 rooks!
1) An n-powered bing has up to n moves in 1 turn.
2) All bings start out as 1-powered bings.
3) Once they reach the last rank of the board, they are promoted to the next rank of bings. Also, after promoting to the next rank, the bing can move back to its own end of the board to be repromoted into a bing of the next rank.
4) 2-powered bings can move in all 4 directions.
5) 3-powered bings can move in all 8 directions (including diagonals).
6) A bing may consume more than 1 piece a turn.
Happy pwning with bings.
1) An n-powered bing has up to n moves in 1 turn.
2) All bings start out as 1-powered bings.
3) Once they reach the last rank of the board, they are promoted to the next rank of bings. Also, after promoting to the next rank, the bing can move back to its own end of the board to be repromoted into a bing of the next rank.
4) 2-powered bings can move in all 4 directions.
5) 3-powered bings can move in all 8 directions (including diagonals).
6) A bing may consume more than 1 piece a turn.
Happy pwning with bings.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Quick bings (of D00M!)
Rules:
1) Bings can move in any direction now, and have 2 steps each turn, which means they can step back and then left, and can hence kope 2 pieces in 1 turn!
2) Once a bing gets to check the opponent's king, it can spend the next turn promoting into a rookish bing, which can move like a rook, but has 2 moves each turn as well! (uhoh)
3) Bings can choose to move 1 step as well. Same goes for rookish bings.
4) Everything else as in Chinese chess.
Note: The bings are REALLY REALLY overpowered in this one.
1) Bings can move in any direction now, and have 2 steps each turn, which means they can step back and then left, and can hence kope 2 pieces in 1 turn!
2) Once a bing gets to check the opponent's king, it can spend the next turn promoting into a rookish bing, which can move like a rook, but has 2 moves each turn as well! (uhoh)
3) Bings can choose to move 1 step as well. Same goes for rookish bings.
4) Everything else as in Chinese chess.
Note: The bings are REALLY REALLY overpowered in this one.
Friday, April 24, 2009
A very simple Maths question (courtesy of SMO)
Note: Please do not post the solution here. Or practically anywhere, but well here it is.
if a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9...an =1, and they are all positive, Poof
summation of (1/1+ai) where i ranges from 1 to n < n-1
.
if a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9...an =1, and they are all positive, Poof
summation of (1/1+ai) where i ranges from 1 to n < n-1
.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Unbanned from chess!
SYF is over!!! (yay!) but we got silver (aw...). Wait did we get gold? ( : )? ). It remains highly debatable, but yea officially silver : (!
But seriously, who reads blogs about SYF. Especially other people's SYFs?
So lets get down to other stuff.
I've really been meaning to post tons and tons of stuff, but I've forgotten all of them at the moment, so well I guess its for the oncoming posts then. But this post cannot be content free right?
So here's something!
Chemistry it is!
The reactivity series contains a set of metals arranged in order of reactivity. Reactivity is largely determined by the ability to lose electrons. The most reactive metal is on the top and the least at the bottom.
K
Na
Ca
Mg
Al
Zn
Fe
Sn
Pb
[H]
Cu
Hg
Ag
Au
Note that I separated them into three groups. If I am not wrong, the top group reacts with water, somewhere down it only can react with steam and the bottom few do not react at all! How cool!
But seriously, who reads blogs about SYF. Especially other people's SYFs?
So lets get down to other stuff.
I've really been meaning to post tons and tons of stuff, but I've forgotten all of them at the moment, so well I guess its for the oncoming posts then. But this post cannot be content free right?
So here's something!
Chemistry it is!
The reactivity series contains a set of metals arranged in order of reactivity. Reactivity is largely determined by the ability to lose electrons. The most reactive metal is on the top and the least at the bottom.
K
Na
Ca
Mg
Al
Zn
Fe
Sn
Pb
[H]
Cu
Hg
Ag
Au
Note that I separated them into three groups. If I am not wrong, the top group reacts with water, somewhere down it only can react with steam and the bottom few do not react at all! How cool!
Friday, April 17, 2009
On charges (physics)
It's been a boring week (ever since Thursday morning more like, when I was banned from chess). But then again, it has been said that every dark cloud has a silver lining, but I somehow think that the silver lining must be really really thin in order to not weigh the cloud down. Seriously, I never thought silver could be harvested from clouds. Maybe that's where all the silverware is coming from. Hmm...
Now to the main topic, charges. Charges are weird things. I haven't read up yet, but I suspect 2 things. Either 1) They have some weird relationship with gravitational force that you (NO!) don't want to know about, or 2) They are caused by charges (Is this even any better?).
Anyway, the story has it that in the middle of each atom, there appears to be many flying things flying around the center pile of bigger stuff. Just imagine an Earth with many many little pallets flying around it like mad. Like.... at a mere fraction of the speed of light (wait thats not good, 1/100000000 happens to be a fraction as well), but then again, you get it, I think its in the same order. =).
The little flying pellets are called electrons, and have been reminding unfortunate students of much more common stuff like electricity and electrolyte as well as death by electrocution. But thats deviating again. The chunk in the middle is made up of many many bigger things that are nearly 2000 times bigger than electrons. Those things consist of neutrons and protons, and the main significant difference is that protons are positive, neutrons and neutral and electrons are negative. There have also been 2 things observed by a futuristic thought experiment involving weird things like potatoes and nailclippers mashed together with 42 different formulas and 1337 atmospheres of pressure. Ok that was plain random. Anyway, tada, 2 new parts of an atom has just been created out of my imagination. They are the multitron and divitron. As their names suggest, the multitron has a multiplicative charge and the divitron has a divisive charge. They mostly balance each other out and I don't really care if they defy all laws of conventional physics including the fact that leviating potatoes look really really weird even if achieved somehow. And now the confusion begins.
Phew! I just tided over a long paragraph.
Now for an even longer one.
So now, I am very sure that you have often heard many voices in your head saying "Like charges attract, unlike charges repel." Repeat that a billion times. Boomf. Watch that. I don't like head juice on my face. It tastes sour with an estimate pH of 4.2. Not dangerous, but corrosive nevertheless. Basically, listed out, it means that 5 things are ruled out: 1) Positive charges attract positive charges. 2) Negative charges attract negative charges. 3) Negative charges repel positive charges. 4) Positive charges repel negative charges. 5) Potatoes are flying. The first 4 will potentially blow your brains up with the complexity and the immense amount of logic needed to derive it from the first axiom as stated up there might be potentially hazardous, but hey! the last one is so obviously following from the axiom. Please note, as a clarification, that the fact potatoes are not flying does not mean they never will. Well, who knows? Next thing, Coulomb's Law, wassit? Anyway it states that the attraction between two charged object varies proportionately with the product of both charges divided by the square of the distance between them. Both axioms can be coupled together and summarised in a neat and short and sweet sentence as follows below:
Potatoes are an irreplacable part of life, just like Chess and 42.
More to come, but its getting really really late.
Now to the main topic, charges. Charges are weird things. I haven't read up yet, but I suspect 2 things. Either 1) They have some weird relationship with gravitational force that you (NO!) don't want to know about, or 2) They are caused by charges (Is this even any better?).
Anyway, the story has it that in the middle of each atom, there appears to be many flying things flying around the center pile of bigger stuff. Just imagine an Earth with many many little pallets flying around it like mad. Like.... at a mere fraction of the speed of light (wait thats not good, 1/100000000 happens to be a fraction as well), but then again, you get it, I think its in the same order. =).
The little flying pellets are called electrons, and have been reminding unfortunate students of much more common stuff like electricity and electrolyte as well as death by electrocution. But thats deviating again. The chunk in the middle is made up of many many bigger things that are nearly 2000 times bigger than electrons. Those things consist of neutrons and protons, and the main significant difference is that protons are positive, neutrons and neutral and electrons are negative. There have also been 2 things observed by a futuristic thought experiment involving weird things like potatoes and nailclippers mashed together with 42 different formulas and 1337 atmospheres of pressure. Ok that was plain random. Anyway, tada, 2 new parts of an atom has just been created out of my imagination. They are the multitron and divitron. As their names suggest, the multitron has a multiplicative charge and the divitron has a divisive charge. They mostly balance each other out and I don't really care if they defy all laws of conventional physics including the fact that leviating potatoes look really really weird even if achieved somehow. And now the confusion begins.
Phew! I just tided over a long paragraph.
Now for an even longer one.
So now, I am very sure that you have often heard many voices in your head saying "Like charges attract, unlike charges repel." Repeat that a billion times. Boomf. Watch that. I don't like head juice on my face. It tastes sour with an estimate pH of 4.2. Not dangerous, but corrosive nevertheless. Basically, listed out, it means that 5 things are ruled out: 1) Positive charges attract positive charges. 2) Negative charges attract negative charges. 3) Negative charges repel positive charges. 4) Positive charges repel negative charges. 5) Potatoes are flying. The first 4 will potentially blow your brains up with the complexity and the immense amount of logic needed to derive it from the first axiom as stated up there might be potentially hazardous, but hey! the last one is so obviously following from the axiom. Please note, as a clarification, that the fact potatoes are not flying does not mean they never will. Well, who knows? Next thing, Coulomb's Law, wassit? Anyway it states that the attraction between two charged object varies proportionately with the product of both charges divided by the square of the distance between them. Both axioms can be coupled together and summarised in a neat and short and sweet sentence as follows below:
Potatoes are an irreplacable part of life, just like Chess and 42.
More to come, but its getting really really late.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
3D modelling sets (or whatever they're rightfully called)
Those are the many many magnetic sticks that attract metallic balls and form nice structures and can possibly be used to emulate regular polyhedrons as well as molecular structures! Ok, all the sticks are of the same length. Thats quite bad. WHAT? The balls are of the same size?!!!! Ok that's worse, but then again. Isohedrons are fun. So I shall challenge J--Y---- to make an isohedron within 40 seconds tomorrow (replaced by today) *cackles madly*.
For now, its good night and BAH its such a short post. Cant spam too much without chess. But I'm BANNED!!!!:( Nvm. Time to chase J--Y---- about arrr eeee)
For now, its good night and BAH its such a short post. Cant spam too much without chess. But I'm BANNED!!!!:( Nvm. Time to chase J--Y---- about arrr eeee)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Bannage from chess
I have just been banned from chess for the next 6 days, due to an incoming disaster, in which we will have to be put through a nerve-wrecking 15 minutes sitting on a chair swinging around for extra effect, all for a word, or preferably (or on the other hand preferably not), three words.
Its... SYF! in 6 days (actually more like 5 days and 18 hours and 35 minutes till the start)
Its... SYF! in 6 days (actually more like 5 days and 18 hours and 35 minutes till the start)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The bus and the water bottle (that both went whoosh)
Ok fine. There are about two parts to this article. (not a grammar error. The "about" here refers to approximately, and definition for approximately is... vague?)
One. Bus.
Two. Water bottle.
Story one -- The bus that went WHOOSH
------------------------------------------
"The bus is coming."
"WHOOSH!"
*mumble about taking the MRT*
Story two -- The duel of the water bottle and the MOOR house T-shirt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*begin real narration*
The water bottle swung itself. There was acceleration of an estimated 12.5 meters per second per second, and within a mere 0.4 seconds, it had attained a commendable velocity of 5 meters a second! It focused on its target, the Moor house T-shirt, which was spreading itself wide. And, it missed.
It flew in a rough parabola and after starting its descent (it would be incorrect to say that it was steep because a parabola in this case has a point with gradient 0), it crashed into a 3D model and went WHOOSH. It nearly killed somebody. And there was liquid gushing out of the water bottle after that unfortunate accident (would you call that blood?).
Is WHOOSH ever a good thing?
One. Bus.
Two. Water bottle.
Story one -- The bus that went WHOOSH
------------------------------------------
"The bus is coming."
"WHOOSH!"
*mumble about taking the MRT*
Story two -- The duel of the water bottle and the MOOR house T-shirt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*begin real narration*
The water bottle swung itself. There was acceleration of an estimated 12.5 meters per second per second, and within a mere 0.4 seconds, it had attained a commendable velocity of 5 meters a second! It focused on its target, the Moor house T-shirt, which was spreading itself wide. And, it missed.
It flew in a rough parabola and after starting its descent (it would be incorrect to say that it was steep because a parabola in this case has a point with gradient 0), it crashed into a 3D model and went WHOOSH. It nearly killed somebody. And there was liquid gushing out of the water bottle after that unfortunate accident (would you call that blood?).
Is WHOOSH ever a good thing?
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Stalemate
Stalemate, but in Chinese Chess, its a lose for the person who cannot make a move (and of course a win for the opponent). I personally consider this the most stylish way to checkmate an opponent. Consider this case.
##RCKRCC#
####R####
###AMA##M
####C##P#
#########
###P#####
#R#######
#########
##N#AK###
#NNANPPPP
As usual, its red's turn. And red feels evil. Red plays the following moves:
1. R8+1 P4+1
2. R8-1 P4+1
3. R8-1 P4+1
4. *random rook move* P4+1
5 *another random rook move* No available moves left.
Note: if on move 4 black had played P4m5, then K6m5 (checkmate). But that isnt good. Because Black loses an unnessary pawn. Well this shows its possible to stalemate with all pieces intact. Have a nice day!
##RCKRCC#
####R####
###AMA##M
####C##P#
#########
###P#####
#R#######
#########
##N#AK###
#NNANPPPP
As usual, its red's turn. And red feels evil. Red plays the following moves:
1. R8+1 P4+1
2. R8-1 P4+1
3. R8-1 P4+1
4. *random rook move* P4+1
5 *another random rook move* No available moves left.
Note: if on move 4 black had played P4m5, then K6m5 (checkmate). But that isnt good. Because Black loses an unnessary pawn. Well this shows its possible to stalemate with all pieces intact. Have a nice day!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Declaration of brief inactivity
I hereby declare that, due to various random and totally foreseen reasons and totally expected circumstances, that I will be inactive in updating this blog for the next few days, but will come back with games with M-----, together with a never-seen-before commentary!
Ohnoes! Maths test a reading disaster!
Can you imagine? I just got a double misread in a single question. I didn't see the angle part of the question and misread minimum as maximum. Cheers!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A little Chinese Chess puzzle
I think the solution is unique. If it isn't please tell me.
#CCAK#C##
###PA####
###NM#P##
########N
#########
#########
#########
#########
#R######R
####K####
I've checked twice, and I strongly think there IS a solution. If not I'll look into it. Somehow.
#CCAK#C##
###PA####
###NM#P##
########N
#########
#########
#########
#########
#R######R
####K####
I've checked twice, and I strongly think there IS a solution. If not I'll look into it. Somehow.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Post in advance!
Anyway, this post was created 1 day beforehand so.... yea you get it.
Anyway, 3 radical ideas for Chinese chess!
1) Must grab free pawn(s).
2) Must grab free minister(s).
3) Must grab free advisor(s).
They are sort of condusive to not losing endgames.
The main problem is when you tend not to get to endgames.
Anyway, 3 radical ideas for Chinese chess!
1) Must grab free pawn(s).
2) Must grab free minister(s).
3) Must grab free advisor(s).
They are sort of condusive to not losing endgames.
The main problem is when you tend not to get to endgames.
JY-Transient
JY-Transient wants to have his blog visited, and I strongly support that initiative! (with 40N and a ruffia string!)
And here's a riddle by JY!
Why did JY try to fly high?
(will not answer, you can ask him yourself)
Plus, I'm considering putting up some Mathematics on this blog, if I ever figure out how best to type weird signs (like theta, lambda, and stuffses like that).
Anyway, another blog I support is ringmaster-sanctus.blogspot.com. Visit him (I meant it*) when you have time!
*Bad grammar
And here's a riddle by JY!
Why did JY try to fly high?
(will not answer, you can ask him yourself)
Plus, I'm considering putting up some Mathematics on this blog, if I ever figure out how best to type weird signs (like theta, lambda, and stuffses like that).
Anyway, another blog I support is ringmaster-sanctus.blogspot.com. Visit him (I meant it*) when you have time!
*Bad grammar
New AI!
I've gotten a new AI for QianHong (eleeye.exe) and I'm getting owned by it :( Help!
Anyway, heres a new puzzle, created from some randoming with J--Y----. (and improvised (shhh... its not called debug) upon it)
###K#####
########R
##P####R#
#########
RN#######
#########
###C#####
###PPP###
##P###P##
####K####
Difficulty level: Mate in 4.
Anyway, heres a new puzzle, created from some randoming with J--Y----. (and improvised (shhh... its not called debug) upon it)
###K#####
########R
##P####R#
#########
RN#######
#########
###C#####
###PPP###
##P###P##
####K####
Difficulty level: Mate in 4.
Monday, April 6, 2009
A few random squiggles
Variation to Chinese chess: Power to the bing chess!
Both sides have their 3rd file pawns at the start.
If a pawn is protected by a friendly piece, i.e. That piece could eat the pawn if it had been a hostile pawn, then the pawn gains the abilities of that piece. (until either piece moves away).
The winner is the person who finishes the opponent's pawns first. (checks still count ie king still has to be protected).
Kings CAN face each other.
A friendly piece can "capture" a pawn and give it its abilities until the pawn is down, or another friendly piece "captures" it back, killing the already existing piece.
For example, if a Knight "captures" a pawn, then the pawn can move like a knight, (as well as a pawn), but a friendly rook can displace the knight and the pawn will become a rook-pawn, and the knight will be taken off the board.
For conveniences sake the "capture"s shall now be replaced by a better word. Say.... parasite. (:
A pawn with a parasite can still function like a "normal" pawn with its newfound abilities.
I present an example of how a game might start: (and be over within 5 turns or so)
RNMAKAMNR
#########
#C#####C#
##P######
#########
#########
######P##
#C#####C#
#########
RNMAKAMNR
1. R1+9 R1+9
2. N8+7 N2+1
3. N7+6 P3+1
4. M7+5 C2m5
5. A4+5 R1-6
6. R1-6 P3+1
7. R1m3 C2m3
8. K9m4 R1m6
9. M5+7 (Game over (whuups!))
now for a random pattern. 3, 1, 5, 3, 9, 2, 4, 3, 9, _, _, _????
Hint: Pi
Both sides have their 3rd file pawns at the start.
If a pawn is protected by a friendly piece, i.e. That piece could eat the pawn if it had been a hostile pawn, then the pawn gains the abilities of that piece. (until either piece moves away).
The winner is the person who finishes the opponent's pawns first. (checks still count ie king still has to be protected).
Kings CAN face each other.
A friendly piece can "capture" a pawn and give it its abilities until the pawn is down, or another friendly piece "captures" it back, killing the already existing piece.
For example, if a Knight "captures" a pawn, then the pawn can move like a knight, (as well as a pawn), but a friendly rook can displace the knight and the pawn will become a rook-pawn, and the knight will be taken off the board.
For conveniences sake the "capture"s shall now be replaced by a better word. Say.... parasite. (:
A pawn with a parasite can still function like a "normal" pawn with its newfound abilities.
I present an example of how a game might start: (and be over within 5 turns or so)
RNMAKAMNR
#########
#C#####C#
##P######
#########
#########
######P##
#C#####C#
#########
RNMAKAMNR
1. R1+9 R1+9
2. N8+7 N2+1
3. N7+6 P3+1
4. M7+5 C2m5
5. A4+5 R1-6
6. R1-6 P3+1
7. R1m3 C2m3
8. K9m4 R1m6
9. M5+7 (Game over (whuups!))
now for a random pattern. 3, 1, 5, 3, 9, 2, 4, 3, 9, _, _, _????
Hint: Pi
Sunday, April 5, 2009
First post :-)
Whee I've decided to make this a place for my Chinese Chess rants and talking about the weirdest moves you've ever seen. Not for those who want to win competitions, and not for the sane (will make your head explode from the randomness). (Georgia font)
Yay, to start off I shall put forth a notation for displaying boards.
K- King (帅 or 将)
A- Advisor (士)
M- Minister (相 or 象)
N- Knight (马)
R- Rook (车)
C- Cannon (炮)
P- Pawn (兵 or 卒)
A 123456789
B 123456789
C 123456789
D 123456789
E 123456789
F 123456789
G 123456789
H 123456789
I 123456789
J 123456789
(Courier font ftw!)
Red will always be on the bottom side. And the starting board shall be represented as thus:
<123456789>
A RNMAKAMNR
B #########
C #C#####C#
D P#P#P#P#P
E #########
F #########
G P#P#P#P#P
H #C#####C#
I #########
J RNMAKAMNR
<987654321>
And moves will be represented as thus:
P5+1 (Pawn on 5th file (of playing side) advances (+) by 1 square)
P5f+1 (The front pawn of file 5 advances by 1 square)
Move the third pawn counting from the front of the forth file to the fifth file. (whatever it really means, for when I get fedup with notation)
P5m6 (Pawn moves (m) from file 5 to file 6)
So now for the slightly trickier pieces like N, A and M.
N5-4 (Knight on 5th file retreats (-) to 4th file)
N5-4xN(see above, but this kills an opposing knight)
Ok. Now for a random puzzle.
###K#####
##P#P####
#########
#########
######M##
#########
#########
#####P###
####P#P##
###P#K#P#
Solution: P3m4 (Checkmate)
Got it? Good :)
Yay, to start off I shall put forth a notation for displaying boards.
K- King (帅 or 将)
A- Advisor (士)
M- Minister (相 or 象)
N- Knight (马)
R- Rook (车)
C- Cannon (炮)
P- Pawn (兵 or 卒)
A 123456789
B 123456789
C 123456789
D 123456789
E 123456789
F 123456789
G 123456789
H 123456789
I 123456789
J 123456789
(Courier font ftw!)
Red will always be on the bottom side. And the starting board shall be represented as thus:
<123456789>
A RNMAKAMNR
B #########
C #C#####C#
D P#P#P#P#P
E #########
F #########
G P#P#P#P#P
H #C#####C#
I #########
J RNMAKAMNR
<987654321>
And moves will be represented as thus:
P5+1 (Pawn on 5th file (of playing side) advances (+) by 1 square)
P5f+1 (The front pawn of file 5 advances by 1 square)
Move the third pawn counting from the front of the forth file to the fifth file. (whatever it really means, for when I get fedup with notation)
P5m6 (Pawn moves (m) from file 5 to file 6)
So now for the slightly trickier pieces like N, A and M.
N5-4 (Knight on 5th file retreats (-) to 4th file)
N5-4xN(see above, but this kills an opposing knight)
Ok. Now for a random puzzle.
###K#####
##P#P####
#########
#########
######M##
#########
#########
#####P###
####P#P##
###P#K#P#
Solution: P3m4 (Checkmate)
Got it? Good :)
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