explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2637: Roman Numerals

2022-06-24T22:46:52Z

P3pp3r0n1: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2637
| date = June 24, 2022
| title = Roman Numerals
| image = roman_numerals.png
| titletext = 100he100k out th1s 1nno5at4e str1ng en100o501ng 15e been 500e5e50op1ng! 1t's 6rtua100y perfe100t! ...hang on, what's a "virtuacy"?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic purposely confuses the symbols used as roman numeral, arabic numerals, and the latin alphabet. Comnverting the arabic numberal equation 1+1=2 into roman numerals becomes I+I = II but is then represented as 1+1=11. 2+2=4 becomes II+II=IV but roman number V is arabic numeral 5 so this becomes 11+11 = 15.

The numbers aren't numbers - they're the equivalent roman numeral

* 1 = I
* 5 = V
* 10 = X

So, the equations translated back into "normal" numerals are:

* I(1) + I(1) = II(2)
* II(2) + II(2) = IV(4)
* IV(4) + V(5) = IX(9)

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

2637: Roman Numerals

2022-06-24T22:45:57Z

P3pp3r0n1: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2637
| date = June 24, 2022
| title = Roman Numerals
| image = roman_numerals.png
| titletext = 100he100k out th1s 1nno5at4e str1ng en100o501ng 15e been 500e5e50op1ng! 1t's 6rtua100y perfe100t! ...hang on, what's a "virtuacy"?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic purposely confused the between symbols used as roman numeral, arabic numerals, and the latin alphabet. Comnverting the arabic numberal equation 1+1=2 into roman numerals becomes I+I = II but is then represented as 1+1=11. 2+2=4 becomes II+II=IV but roman number V is arabic numeral 5 so this becomes 11+11 = 15.

The numbers aren't numbers - they're the equivalent roman numeral

* 1 = I
* 5 = V
* 10 = X

So, the equations translated back into "normal" numerals are:

* I(1) + I(1) = II(2)
* II(2) + II(2) = IV(4)
* IV(4) + V(5) = IX(9)

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

1350: Lorenz

2014-04-01T22:18:33Z

P3pp3r0n1: Connection between Lorenz butterfly effect and cartoon title text.

{{comic
| number = 1350
| date = April 1, 2014
| title = Lorenz
| image = 1350_lorenz_loop.png
| titletext = Every choice, no matter how small, begins a new story
}}

{{incomplete|All possible dialogues are not yet accounted for}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a April fools comic with crowd sourced content. Since April 1st 2014 was a Tuesday, this comic is not in the normal sequence Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

This comic is dynamic and needs interaction by the viewer. In the first time there was a bug when using the URL <nowiki>http://www.xkcd.com/</nowiki> or even <nowiki>https://xkcd.com/</nowiki> — only <nowiki>http://xkcd.com/</nowiki> did work at the first hours.

{{w|HTTP cookie|Cookies}} are required to see this page properly.

It appears that new panels may be generated by Randall in near real time as user suggestions to dialog is submitted. The dialogue options are likely based on click-through rates and hence will change over day based on which choices are clicked most using {{w|A/B_testing|A/B measurement techniques..}} This will mean that the most popular choices for dialogue line will prevail as the statistics builds up.

Every panel has a "permalink" option which generates a unique URL for all the choices made by the reader -- so for example http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:26c8dcea-b9aa-11e3-8002-002590d77bdd will take you to a particular place in the selected choices.

The title 'Lorenz' is referring to {{w|Edward Norton Lorenz}} who among other subjects was famous for {{w|Chaos theory}}. The title is a reference to that the story line of today's comic will include most (all?) of the user submitted dialogue and hence will in nature be chaotic. In addition, the title text, "Every choice, no matter how small", is a reference to the butterfly effect, a phrase coined by Edward Lorenz to describe how a small initial change can lead to wide variations in outcome in a chaotic system.

This comic is an example of a {{w|Choose Your Own Adventure}} story.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[A transcript will be difficult to create due to the branching nature of the comic.]

There are many options. Not everyone will see the same options. We are trying to capture as many options as possible in the Transcript below. -- '''the order and options has changed since the transcripter captured the dialogue'''....The dialogue is likely based on click-through rates and hence will change over time based on which choices are clicked most using {{w|A/B_testing|A/B measurement techniques..}}

'''First Pane:'''([http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:be7a3304-b685-11e3-8001-94de80a03a29 permalink])
* Refresh... No New Email... Refresh .. No New Tweets... Refresh...
* These Stupid Tiles... I'll Just Play One More Game
* Oh. Hey. There's Some Kind Of Political Thing Going On.
* Let's See If BSD Is Any Easier to Install Nowadays

'''Second Pane: Stupid Tiles Branch'''<br>
Option 1: ([http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:79f036ac-b9a0-11e3-9003-94de80a03a39 permalink])
* There's something weird on the lawn
* I heard Home Depot has 1024 bathroom tiles
* There's a dinosaur at the door
* I think I saw a "4096 tile outside somewhere.

'''Second Pane: Refresh Branch'''<br>
Option 1: ([http://xkcd.com/1350/#p:6479d184-b9a0-11e3-b947-94de80a03a39 permalink])
* So you're still refusing to use Facebook?
* Wanna build a snowman?
* Hey. I hear Godot is in town. Wanna try to meet him?
* You know. Your car's on fire.

'''Second Pane: Political Thing Branch'''<br>
The laptop says: "...and let's go live to the debate."
* Continue

'''Second Pane: BSD Branch'''<br>
The character has ?? next to his head to signify confusion.
* Continue

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
[[Category:April fool's comics]]

563

2013-04-24T09:56:38Z

P3pp3r0n1: Redirected page to 563

#REDIRECT [[563]]

563: Fermirotica

2013-04-24T09:49:48Z

P3pp3r0n1: New comic explanation added.

{{comic
| number = 563
| date = April 1, 2009
| title = Fermirotica
| image = fermirotica.png
| titletext = I love how google handles dimensional analysis. Stats are ballpark and vary wildly based on time of day and whether your mom is in town.
}}

==Explanation==
Fermi and Hart developed an equation for estimating the probability of intelligent life existing within a certain size sphere of the universe. A similar equation is proposed to estimate the circle within which it is probable two people are having sex. The April Fool's joke is that the equation does not predict if they are having sex with each other. The title text implies google's more sophisticated analysis programs would also take into account the time of day people are more likely to have sex. It also incorporates the running gag about "your mom", her sexual activity, and how that influences the estimates.
==Transcript==

:Pd Regional Population Density (e.g. 18,600 / mi^2)
:Xf Average Person's Frequency of Sex (e.g. 80 / Year)
:Xd Average Duration of Sex (e.g. 30 Minutes)
:r=sqrt(2/(pi*Pd*Xf*Xd))
:On average, someone within distance r of you is having sex
:[Man standing at easel]
:Man: Mmm, That probable couple 150 meters away is so hot. Oh yeah, theoretically work it, baby.
:From out of frame: Hey! No statistical voyeurism!
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]