math wiz (no, not me)

...got this as an email foward tonight:


YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATH - DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST

It takes less than a minute. Work this out as you read and be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out. This is not one of those waste of time things, it's fun.

First of all, pick the number of times per week that you would like to have chocolate (more than once but less than 10 times). Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold). and then add 5 and multiply it by 50 -- I'll wait while you get the calculator. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1756, if you haven't, add 1755. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born You should have a three digit number. The first digit of this is your original number (i.e., how! many times you want to have chocolate each week) The next two numbers are YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)


I don't know how "scrolling down" would have ruined the "suprise" but at any rate my first reaction was "oh dude! that is SO cool!" ...and then I had to be a smart ass and work out the arithmatic behind it to prove to myself that my age really has nothing to do with the amount of chocolate I eat. It doesn't. I lied and picked 9 and I'm still 22... but the math always seems to fascinate and entertain.

Whoever came up with this has too much time on their hands, or too many neutrinos hitting their brains... but they still get a high five from me!

The Mpemba Effect

Does Hot Water Freeze First?
("Since the time of Aristotle, some scientists have claimed that hot water freezes faster than cold. Philip Ball looks at current attempts to shed light on this puzzling phenomenon")



I love this:


"Kell, hailing from a country with ample experience of freezing water [Canada], stated that "some say that a car should not be washed with hot water because the water will freeze on it more quickly than cold water will, or that a skating rink should be flooded with hot water because it will freeze more quickly."

woo woo - hockey and washing salt off the car, hellloooo canuck!


It's funny to me because I've thought about this alot. I'm putting my money on the speed of water evaporation explanation... don't forget that when something changes from liquid to gas it will need energy, seems logical that it'll leave something cooler behind. But that's just my 2 cents. Mr. Varner would be so proud! haha