explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:899: Number Line

2024-07-10T02:49:44Z

Isaacyou1234:

Where does sqrt(-1) go? [[Special:Contributions/67.78.183.206|67.78.183.206]] 19:07, 2 January 2013 (UTC)

:It goes up (literally above 0). A number line can be extended to a complex plane with sqrt(-1) as the unit of measurement in the vertical direction. Or at least, that's where it actually goes. I don't know where Randall would put it. [[Special:Contributions/75.69.96.225|75.69.96.225]] 01:04, 5 March 2013 (UTC)

I'm sorry...are you indicating the ACTUAL location for an IMAGINARY number? {{unsigned|‎74.213.186.41}}

Yes, that's exactly where it is (up to switching clockwise for counterclockwise). There is nothing strange about providing a location for imaginary or complex numbers, the location described is logical, and the adjective 'imaginary' is an artifact of nomenclature and nothing more.[[Special:Contributions/173.48.140.216|173.48.140.216]] 20:40, 30 March 2013 (UTC)

In fact, complex numbers are nearly more real than real ones! Complex analysis really opened my eyes to how much "stepping out" can help in solving problems. The complex notion of analyticity yields fruit in real analysis. Extensions to hypercomplex numbers are weirder, however. --[[User:Quicksilver|Quicksilver]] ([[User talk:Quicksilver|talk]]) 20:27, 17 August 2013 (UTC)

Analyticity must be an imaginary word, and therefore would be found one unit directly above any dictionary. [[Special:Contributions/50.203.89.169|50.203.89.169]] 14:19, 9 October 2013 (UTC)
:Oh my god, I can't believe how hard I laughed at that. Would an imaginary friend actually be above you then? I'm going to use that sometime. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.61|108.162.219.61]] 21:25, 24 April 2014 (UTC)
:"I'm sorry, you have reached an imaginary number. Please rotate the phone by 90 degrees and try again."[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.250|141.101.98.250]] 17:01, 21 October 2017 (UTC)

Is unexplored a map reference? [[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 17:53, 13 January 20141 (UTC)

Note that the digits 5 and 6 do not show up on any of the numbers in the comic, reinforcing the fact that the integers 5 and 6 are unexplored. [[User:Blitzer|Blitzer]] ([[User talk:Blitzer|talk]]) 02:34, 15 May 2014 (UTC)
:So the 5th digit of pi can not be known either? [[User:Tharkon|Tharkon]] ([[User talk:Tharkon|talk]]) 03:56, 12 July 2014 (UTC)
:: The ''wha''th digit of pi? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.119|108.162.215.119]] 01:59, 1 January 2015 (UTC)
Thank God (or someone else, I'm not choosy) that the SCP link here still works. The rest of the site's gone private. {{unsigned ip|108.162.250.223}}

It appears that Wikipedia had noticed the implications of the title text here. The message now says that it might never be complete, but can be expanded with reliably sourced articles. I'm not 100% sure it's due to Randall's involvement, but I like to think so. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.17|141.101.104.17]] 22:01, 9 December 2014 (UTC)

I am not American, but the linked Wikipedia Article does not support the claims about president's day being observed between the 2 birthdays of Washington and Lincoln in general, but just that in some states Lincoln is also referenced on that day. Even if it was put as a day between these birthdays by definition and on purpose, I do not see the reference here... Especially as this number is given as specific, unlike presidents day, which can occur in a range of days... Someone who knows more of American culture, and also what "observed" (which would link it to holidays....) can mean in English language please revert this. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 12:41, 18 September 2019 (UTC)

The link to "bleem" does not work for me, but the word can be found in Urban Dictionary. ——[[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.161|172.69.63.161]] 02:12, 21 August 2020 (UTC)

While 8 is not the "largest even prime", 9 is in fact the ''lowest odd composite'' number. So 8 is the largest in the unbroken line of natural numbers that are even ''or'' prime (or whatever 1 is). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.205|141.101.76.205]] 10:48, 18 January 2023 (UTC)

:1 is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_(ring_theory) unit]. With natural numbers, that's literally just 1, but when you extend the concept of primes to arbitrary rings there's more like that so it's worth giving a name to. [[User:DanielLC|DanielLC]] ([[User talk:DanielLC|talk]]) 06:17, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

Surely Gird is a reference to Bleem and to the philosophical concepts of Grue and Bleen? Just as they derive from Blue and Green, so we would have Bird and Gleem. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.98.86|172.71.98.86]] 20:33, 29 November 2023 (UTC)

1 pixel <nowiki>~</nowiki> 0.012
start of unexplored zone <nowiki>~</nowiki> 4.381
end of unexplored zone <nowiki>~</nowiki> 6.714
length of unexplored zone <nowiki>~</nowiki> 2.333
coincedence? [[User:Plushiefan4111|plushie fan]] ([[User talk:Plushiefan4111|talk]]) 00:07, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

For f(f(x))=11x, one example is: write x=a*11^b where a%11>0. If a%11 is odd, let f(x)=(a+1)11^b; otherwise a%11 is even, let f(x)=(a-1)11^(b+1).[[Special:Contributions/172.71.222.235|172.71.222.235]] 03:01, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

Even simpler, let f(x)=-x for x<0 and f(x)=-11x for x>=0.[[Special:Contributions/172.70.175.54|172.70.175.54]] 17:46, 3 December 2023 (UTC)

How is Tau also called "Twice Euler's constant"? IMO, the name Tau, or the value 6.28~, equals to and is used to replace 2pi, so it is not related to "Twice Euler's constant". --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.166.146|162.158.166.146]] 08:33, 31 December 2023 (UTC)

1102: Fastest-Growing

2023-11-03T04:58:37Z

Isaacyou1234:

{{comic numbe}}r = 1102
{{date}} = August 31, 2012
{{title}} = Fastest-Growing
{{image}} = fastest_growing.png
{{titletext}} = I lead a small but extraordinarily persuasive religion whose only members are door-to-door proselytizers from other faiths
:guy: you should check us out. were the fastest-growing religion in the country.
:black hat: "fastest-growing" is such a dubious claim.
:guy: its true! we grew by 85% over the past year.
:black hat: hey, rob — wanna join my religion?
:rob: Sure, whatever.
:black Hat: well, looks like my religion grew by 100% this year.
:guy: we have 38,000 members!
:black hat: (talking to Rob) Hope they're all ok with second place.
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Rob]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Statistics]]

1102: Fastest-Growing

2023-11-03T04:53:56Z

Isaacyou1234:

{{comic
| number = 1102
| date = August 31, 2012
| title = Fastest-Growing
| image = fastest_growing.png
| titletext = I lead a small but extraordinarily persuasive religion whose only members are door-to-door proselytizers from other faiths
:guy: you should check us out. were the fastest-growing religion in the country.
:black hat: "fastest-growing" is such a dubious claim.
:guy: its true! we grew by 85% over the past year.
:black hat: hey, rob — wanna join my religion?
:rob: Sure, whatever.
:black Hat: well, looks like my religion grew by 100% this year.
:guy: we have 38,000 members!
:black hat: (talking to Rob) Hope they're all ok with second place.
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Rob]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Statistics]]

1102: Fastest-Growing

2023-11-03T04:42:34Z

Isaacyou1234: uncapitalise

{{comic
| number = 1102
| date = August 31, 2012
| title = the Misuse of omics in fastest-growing
| image = fastest_growing.png
| titletext = i lead a small but extraordinarily persuasive religion whose only members are door-to-door proselytizers from other faiths.
}}

==Explanation==
this comic talks about the misuse of percentage of growth. it can be misleading for gauging the importance or popularity of something, if you add only 4 members to an existing group of 2, you would have achieved a growth of 200 percent.

in the case portrayed in this comic the claim appears to be that the other person's religion grew by 85%. black hat attempts humorously to show the flaw in using that statistic by growing his group by 100% (therefore, presumably, first place), which he simply does by adding his friend rob to his religion, and thus increasing his membership from 1 to 2. the other person then says that his religion has a significant number of members (and not just one or two, but ended up with 38,000 this year, presumably having only around 20,540 in the prior one), but black hat doesn't care and responds that he hopes they are all okay with being "in second place" since the main argument from the other guy was about being the fastest-growing.

the title text ponders the ironic idea of converting ''only'' the zealous door-to-door proselytism proselytizers to a very persuasive religion of one's own.

another interpretation is that the title text could be another way that black hat could take the 'fastest-growing' claim out of context to make it meaningless. by composing his religion of the unwitting proselytizers of other faiths, he can claim the highest ratio of converts to current adherents. note that the amount of people converted is often exaggerated by groups that try to spread a faith. although the beliefs spread by his proselytizers vary widely, black hat is not concerned with what his so-called followers believe. Thus, he can claim the title of fastest-growing religion without having any value to his religion.

Various religions and groups encourage their members to actively recruit new followers, such as the vormons.

==Transcript==
:[johnathan comes with a combover, a book, and a clipboard approaches black hat.]
:johnathan: You should check us out. were the fastest-growing religion in the country.
:black hat: "fastest-growing" is such a dubious claim.
:johnathan: Its true, we grew by 85% over the past year.

:[In a frameless panel, Black Hat shouts to rob, out of frame.]
:black hat: hey rob wanna join my religion
:rob: sure whatever.

:[black hat turns back to Combover and produces a notepad and pen]
:black hat: Well looks like my religion grew by 100% this year

:[black Hat begins to walk away.]
:combover: We have 38,000 members (Previously they had 20540.)
:black hat: hope they're all okay with second place
guess the funny part of the joke. give up? the funny part of the joke is the percentage of the people. johnathan's religion had 20540 it became 38000. but black hat's religion grew from 1 to 2.
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Rob]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Statistics]]

1102: Fastest-Growing

2023-11-03T04:21:37Z

Isaacyou1234: funny part

{{comic
| number = 1102
| date = August 31, 2012
| title = Fastest-Growing
| image = fastest_growing.png
| titletext = I lead a small but extraordinarily persuasive religion whose only members are door-to-door proselytizers from other faiths.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic talks about the misuse of percentage of growth. It can be misleading for gauging the importance or popularity of something; If you add only 4 members to an existing group of 2, you would have achieved a growth of 200 percent.

In the case portrayed in this comic the claim appears to be that the other person's religion grew by 85%. [[Black Hat]] attempts humorously to show the flaw in using that statistic by growing his group by 100% (therefore, presumably, first place), which he simply does by adding his friend [[Rob]] to his religion, and thus increasing his membership from 1 to 2. The other person then says that his religion has a significant number of members (and not just one or two, but ended up with 38,000 this year, presumably having 'only' around 20,540 in the prior one), but Black Hat doesn't care and responds that he hopes they are all okay with being "in second place" since the main argument from the other guy was about being the fastest-growing.

The title text ponders the ironic idea of converting ''only'' the zealous door-to-door {{w|Proselytism|proselytizers}} to a very persuasive religion of one's own.

Another interpretation is that the title text could be another way that Black Hat could take the 'fastest-growing' claim out of context to make it meaningless. By composing his religion of the unwitting proselytizers of other faiths, he can claim the highest ratio of converts to current adherents. Note that the amount of people converted is often exaggerated by groups that try to spread a faith. Although the beliefs spread by his proselytizers vary widely, Black Hat is not concerned with what his so-called followers believe. Thus, he can claim the title of fastest-growing religion without having any value to his religion.

Various religions and groups encourage their members to actively recruit new followers, such as the {{w|Mormon missionary}}.

==Transcript==
:[A man with a combover, a book, and a clipboard approaches Black Hat.]
:Combover: You should check us out. We're the fastest-growing religion in the country.
:Black Hat: "Fastest-growing" is such a dubious claim.
:Combover: It's true! We grew by 85% over the past year.

:[In a frameless panel, Black Hat shouts to Rob, out of frame.]
:Black Hat: Hey, Rob — wanna join my religion?
: Rob: Sure, whatever.

:[Black Hat turns back to Combover and produces a notepad and pen.]
:Black Hat: Well, looks like my religion grew by 100% this year.

:[Black Hat begins to walk away.]
:Combover: We have 38,000 members! (Previously they had 20540.)
:Black Hat: Hope they're all ok with second place.
guess the funny part of the joke. give up? the funny part of the joke is the percentage of the people. combover's religion had 20540. it became 38000. (85% growth.) but black hat's religion grew from 1 to 2. (100% growth, the percentage is inaccurate for newpeoplewhojoinedtherereligion%
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Rob]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Statistics]]