The tutor reports another of his tree finds. Back in my June 21 post, I reminisced about the black locust trees of the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. I have some news in that direction. On August 3, returning from Courtenay …
The tutor follows up his earlier post about an algorithm for exponentiation. In my Aug 28 post I brought up exponentiation and a straightforward algorithm that uses a loop. However, there is a less straightforward, yet more efficient, algorithm for …
Math/comp sci: another algorithm for exponentiation Read more »
The tutor discusses the change in weather on BC’s south coast. From early July until mid August, our summer has been uncommonly hot and dry. While we did receive one or two well-timed rains, the threat of forest fires has …
By way of finding a power of a number the tutor opens a discussion about algorithms. Years ago my computer science professor presented the following definition: An algorithm is a set of steps to solve a problem. Suppose there wasn’t …
The tutor further explores the golden ratio. In my previous posts here and here, I’ve discussed some aspects of the golden ratio. Trying to find other special facets of it, I’ve dreamed up color combinations that express the golden ratio …
The tutor shares another surprise from Boggle. I’ve seen the word anon in various places, but can’t remember where. Of course, it’s an abbreviation for anonymous. Playing Boggle with the family the other night, I had the opportunity to make …
The tutor reveals how he solved a problem with Windows Live Mail. As the in-house computer troubleshooter, I received the following request from my wife today: “I can’t open .pdf attachments from within the email program, but I always could …
The tutor shares a definition he stumbled upon. I’ve never thought about it much, but always believed I knew the difference between a lake and a pond. However, the guessing is over for any who may be in doubt; I …
The tutor continues about the golden ratio. In yesterday’s post I brought up the golden ratio. Historically, it’s believed to be the ideal shape for a rectangle. The ratio of length to width is (1+5^(1/2)):2 or 1.618:1 Below is a …
Math: radical expressions: the golden ratio, continued Read more »
The tutor introduces the golden ratio. The golden ratio is defined as x/y, where x/y = (x+y)/x, x>y, y>0 Muliplying both sides by xy gives x^2=xy+y^2 which leads to x^2-xy-y^2=0 Using the quadratic formula to solve for x, we imagine …