h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The project I was doing was using a number grid 10x10 on which a box 2x2 was placed. finding the product of the two opposite corners of the box and subtracting them from each other resulted in the value of the width of the grid.

I was trying to develop an equation that would predict any outcome of the box products being subtracted and on any grid.

The grid with was clearly a variable, and so to it turns out, the width and the length of the box - 1

The solution I came up with was g(w-1)(l-1)

g = grid width
w = box width
l = box length

The part I was mostly stuck on was justifying the move into discussion three variables rather than just two.

I put these variables into the formula for finding the products of the box which was

(n+1)(n+10) - n(n+11)

and got

(n+w-1)(n +(l-1)g) - n(n +(l-1)g + w-1)


It was explaining how I arrived at each of these revelations that was giving me trouble particularly describing how I'd come to make each of the particular aspects of the box and the grid into variables that could be descriebd using algebra.

I'm fairly happy with what O've got now - but since you're offerign I'll be glad to hear your take on how to justify those leaps.

Clive

Ok, a few questions.

1) If it's a 10x10 grid in what was is the width a variable?

2) This number grid, is it 10 squares by 10 sqares, and the box 2 squares by 2 squares? If so are there numbers in the squares or are these not relevant to the algebra of the formulae?

3) when you say this;
"The grid width was clearly a variable, and so too it turns out, the width and the length of the box - 1

The solution I came up with was g(w-1)(l-1)"

I don't quite follow. From the sentance it looks like you mean (wxl)-1 or (w+l)-1. I'm assuming that the formula you gave for that is a correct one and I am just making a pigs ear out of understanding you.

4) I don't yet understand you you worked g, w and l into that other formula but I can see a way to working that out, it might just take me a while.

5) Is this anything along the lines of SuDoku?

It turns out this isn't like the stuff I did and to be perfectly honest I am rather lost. I don't think that's any fault of yours though, my brain hasn't been used for maths in a while. If you still feel like you need my opinion then proceed, but if you already have an answer you're happy with and want to go with that then that's fine too.

Hmmm... so you have a normal number square, and you've drawn a box on it, and you multiply the first two corners... hmm, I'll think about this. See if I can remeber my coursework

And I thought I wasn't having a maths lesson today...

Weeeeel. Things picked up today.

I found out what my marks mean.

The grades are awarded in ranges. Because I am resitting the intermediate band, the highest grade I can be awarded is a B.

The range for a B on the coursework element is 42 - 47. I was awarded 48. I can't get an A, so to score above the banded level for a top B must mean the exmainers gave me an extra credit or something - I can scarcely believe it!

Things get better.

The range for a B grade on the Spring modular exam is 80 - 90. I scored 88, so 2 marks adrift of another top mark.

The last exam I sat, I did get full marks: 52 out of 52.

If you add up all the potential marks I could have got and all the marks I have got - There is a surprising statistic. I can't believe it.

At this stage of the course; I've got 188 out of a possible 189 marks. (hence the appending of my user name )

The Grid course work is due in this Thursday I've checked the mark scheme I was given and I'm pretty confident I've met all the criteria and even done slghtly more than required for top grade so I'm fairy confident that's going to be a good mark as well.

I am astounded.

I got a D for GCSE when I sat it at school. To get B's and flirt with A grades is for me unheard of, unthinkable even - but I'm doing it.


This is brilliant!

May you go far!

Well done Clive! And you did it yourself, that's really amazing, especially to get grades like that! Good luck with the box plot marking. You Rock!

*bounces ever-so slightly so as not to give off a sense of being too-smug-by-half*

Go on, be smug. It's fun and there are no karmal repercussions. Honest.

I have a swimming match soon which the team isn't ready for because we don't have enough people and I'm supposed to have organised it because I'm captain. Not looking forward to this.

An almost Harry Potterish dilemma. Best of luck to you.

I believe in karma. I do bad things to people all day long and assume they deserve it.

I love that!

How is it Harry Potterish? We lost by the way but only just. Had we won the final relay we would have drawn overall, but sadly it was not to be. We nearly made it but we lost by about a metre.

As I recall, Harry faces numerous problems as Captain of the Quiditich team; team members being lost and found for various reasons over the course of the books and always the threat of an impending Slytherrin victory.

Another favourite quote is.

"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend.

Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." ~ Groucho Marx.

Ah, yes, that would be it.

Just quoted that to an intellect and he replied with:

"there is nothing more loyal than a book"

Not sure that's quite in the same vein though.