Schoolboy cracks age-old maths problem

The Local.de ^ | Published: 23 May 12 07:03 CET | The Local.de

[DrewsDad]

Sit your son in front of the computer, click on the link, set the range, and give him some incentive to improve his score.

http://arithmetic.zetamac.com/

[dr_lew]

Here is the description that is the basis for the remarks I quoted above. Just pretend it's english ;-) There are two problems for which he found previously unknown analytic solutions, or at least that's the claim. Quite remarkable, and I'd love to see them. Even though it's far from me to be able to come up with such, it's an easy matter to verify them if somebody gives them to you.

Zwei Probleme aus der klassischen Mechanik haben mehrere Jahrhunderte mathematischer Bemühung getrotzt. Im ersten Problem handelt es sich darum, die Trajektorie eines schräg geworfenen Körpers im erdnahen Schwerefeld und Newton'schen Strömungswiderstand zu berechnen. Das zugrundeliegende Kraftgesetz wurde bereits von Newton (17. Jhd.) entdeckt. Beim zweiten Problem ist das Ziel die Beschreibung einer Partikel-Wand-Kollision unter Hertz’scher Kollisionskraft und linearer Dämpfung. Die Kollisionskraft wurde bereits 1858 von Hertz hergeleitet, eine lineare Dämpfungskraft ist seit Stokes (1850) bekannt.

Diese Arbeit setzt sich also die analytische Lösung dieser bisher nur näherungsweise oder numerisch gelösten Probleme zum Ziele. Zunächst werden die beiden Probleme im verallgemeinerten Kontext vollanalytisch gelöst, diese danach mit numerischen Lösungen verglichen und schließlich ausgehend von den analytischen Lösungen Aussagen über das physikalische Verhalten hergeleitet.

[DrewsDad]

Sit your son in front of the computer, click on the link, set the range, and give him some incentive to improve his score.

http://arithmetic.zetamac.com/

[Gene Eric]

>> my idiot ten year old son struggles with division and hasn’t memorized multiplication tables.

When I was your son’s age, according to the academic standards at the time, I often ranked in the top 2% in the area of mathematics nationwide. And I didn’t memorize jack squat, and yeah, division sucks. So I’m not seeing the corollary to idiocy.

[aliquando]

He is not an idiot. Just gifted at something else.

[kiryandil]

..we are having Trayvon Martin Day, on which nothing will be accomplished but victimhood will be encouraged.

Hey! On Shouryya Ray's first day in Fight Club, The Trayvon would have beaten his @ss.

Twice, for mentioning that pussy "maths" stuff...

[mamelukesabre]

hey, bank shots could come in handy!

[eddie willers]

Just by the headline I figured an Indian kid ..... and I was right!!!!

I watched the National Geography Bee the other night and I'll bet it was 80% Indian.

Pretty cool that they had Texas accents, though.

[MacMattico]

Is that the guy they talk about in the movie Good Will Hunting? If so, it’s the first thing I thought about when I read this story.

Back here in the states, my daughter got a 95 instead of the 90 she expected in Math and the only thing that can account for this is that the softball coaching math teacher gave her credit for her high batting average. So, this poor mathematician kid who says he’s not good at sports better not move here because our moronic teachers will grade you based on making them look good as a coach, not solving 300 plus year old math and science questions!

Seriously, there’s nothing more he needs to do to get into MIT or Harvard.

[MacMattico]

The kid says he isn’t good in social sciences, but that’s probably only because in this PC world the crap even the German schools try to feed him makes no rational sense.

[Gil4]

“...can we send him to DC to teach them basic math.. like how to balance a check book?”

They don’t want to know

[Jonty30]

With math, to solve something, you provide proofs.

It’s just a matter of creating equations.

[Jonty30]

Correct. :D

[jimfree]

If you know the math, the physics is easy.

Deming was a physics PhD but his business card described him as a consultant in statistical studies. Theoretical physics is all about very high math.

[MCSP2008]

Salve

Now this is what I call being smart and I love smart people, but don’t worry with teachers who threaten teenager that he can be imprison for being against Obama will surely solve Mathematical problems.

There was a kid who came up with new idea of less expensive tests for pancreases cancer, somewhere ohh he must have some help and no, ball dooodoo kid is smart, it is people who are so jealous of knowing that teenagers can turn their thinking upside down, it makes them nervous.

Dear Lord......

Merci

[1010RD]

Do you call him idiot? With kids you get what you emphasize.

[Rocky]

I see now why he’s ahead of our kids. We just study math, he studies maths. We are limiting ourselves. And then there’s the fact that liberals are running our educational system. There is that.

[21twelve]

Fun way to do it. I only got 12 correct. It took me awhile to find my calculator for problem #6! ;)

[galloway15]

Did they mention the part about how the Conservatives were dumbing down the system when they have no control and the unions run the show?

[galloway15]

There is much to what you say.

Personally I am able to do fairly complex chain calculations in my head because I can “see” the numbers as the calculation unfolds.

However, give me a ruler and ask me to draw a straight line between two points or drive a nail straight in with a hammer and I am lost.