The Mathmo Test
Moderator: Jon O'Neill
- Michael Wallace
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The Mathmo Test
Hello all, I thought I'd get around to starting a topic myself, and because I'm curious to see how countdown geeks (I use geeks in its most endearing sense) do on a supposed test of how much of a mathematician you are.
So if you're sufficiently bored, go here and see how many of the traits you have, and then we can all be amused at how non-mathsy or mathsy everyone is. Or something.
I get 48 these days (I discovered that I gained 17 points in the process of taking a maths degree, I'm not sure if this is a good thing).
So if you're sufficiently bored, go here and see how many of the traits you have, and then we can all be amused at how non-mathsy or mathsy everyone is. Or something.
I get 48 these days (I discovered that I gained 17 points in the process of taking a maths degree, I'm not sure if this is a good thing).
- Kirk Bevins
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I'm not a fan of that test really although 1728 and 1729 do mean things to me!
Re: The Mathmo Test
39 for me.
- Joseph Bolas
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I don't know what the numbers are but 1729 sounds like a cube to me, is that right?Kirk Bevins wrote:I'm not a fan of that test really although 1728 and 1729 do mean things to me!
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Re: The Mathmo Test
1729 = 9³ + 10³ = 12³ + 1³. It's the smallest number that is the sum of two cubes in two different ways, which is the subject of a story about Ramanujan which has been retold so many times that most mathematicians want to scream and smash things when they hear it. Here it is, as told by another great mathematician, G. H. Hardy:
I remember once going to see [Ramanujan] when he was ill at Putney. I had ridden in taxi cab number 1729 and remarked that the number seemed to me rather a dull one, and that I hoped it was not an unfavorable omen. "No," he replied, "it is a very interesting number; it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways."
- JimBentley
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I only got 28, but I imagine I might've scored a bit higher twenty years ago. I can still be a geek, though, right?
- Joseph Bolas
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I knew it was something to do with a cube, so was close .Charlie Reams wrote:1729 = 9³ + 10³ = 12³ + 1³. It's the smallest number that is the sum of two cubes in two different ways, which is the subject of a story about Ramanujan which has been retold so many times that most mathematicians want to scream and smash things when they hear it. Here it is, as told by another great mathematician, G. H. Hardy:
I remember once going to see [Ramanujan] when he was ill at Putney. I had ridden in taxi cab number 1729 and remarked that the number seemed to me rather a dull one, and that I hoped it was not an unfavorable omen. "No," he replied, "it is a very interesting number; it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways."
I only got 12 on this test, so must be really bad at maths now .
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I'm a chem and maths undergrad and even I thought those questions were bizarre. I've never heard of the term "Mathmo" and had no idea what those games were in the first section of the test. Are they American? Nevertheless I got 24.
- Michael Wallace
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Re: The Mathmo Test
Mathmo is slang for someone studying maths at university, although primarily only heard in Oxbridge (it seems). I'm surprised you haven't heard of the games in the first section though I made an educated guess that the 'Let's make a Deal' reference is the cabbages/goats thing made (more) famous by dog in the nighttime.dinos_the_chemist wrote:I'm a chem and maths undergrad and even I thought those questions were bizarre. I've never heard of the term "Mathmo" and had no idea what those games were in the first section of the test. Are they American? Nevertheless I got 24.
- Jon O'Neill
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I got 19, but I know my times tables.
Re: The Mathmo Test
I got 19 too. What does this mean?Ginger Jono wrote:I got 19, but I know my times tables.
Re: The Mathmo Test
It means you got 19.Corby wrote: I got 19 too. What does this mean?
- Jon O'Neill
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I think it means we are mathematical soulmates. I'll bring the graph paper, you bring the lube.
Re: The Mathmo Test
I got 25. 17 years as a Maths teacher obviously count for nothing.
The mental skill I am most proud of is being able to see a 12 digit number onscreen for 1 second, then retype it. There is a game on http://www.mymaths.co.uk called 'I'm Sinking Fast' that tests this memory skill (it starts with 3 digit numbers and increases by one digit after every eighth number). If you want to try it, use the username 'deacon', and password 'transform' and go to games>memory games.
Chris
The mental skill I am most proud of is being able to see a 12 digit number onscreen for 1 second, then retype it. There is a game on http://www.mymaths.co.uk called 'I'm Sinking Fast' that tests this memory skill (it starts with 3 digit numbers and increases by one digit after every eighth number). If you want to try it, use the username 'deacon', and password 'transform' and go to games>memory games.
Chris
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Re: The Mathmo Test
We have to have a recommendation system where I can rec posts of this quality!Ginger Jono wrote:I think it means we are mathematical soulmates. I'll bring the graph paper, you bring the lube.
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Re: The Mathmo Test
13 scored. Not sure if I am pleased or a tad disappointed! Never heard of most of this stuff.
- Michael Wallace
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Re: The Mathmo Test
perhaps I should clarify that this isn't meant to be a test of how good a mathematician you are :p (in case that wasn't obvious...)
more it's a list of things that are stereotypical of uber-maths-geeks - it's quite possible that the lower you score, the better (from your point of view, at least!)
more it's a list of things that are stereotypical of uber-maths-geeks - it's quite possible that the lower you score, the better (from your point of view, at least!)
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Re: The Mathmo Test
Strangely I scored 19 as well - obviously the chess questions helped....
Kevin
Kevin
Re: The Mathmo Test
19 definitely appears to be the optimal score for coolness. I think I remember reading that somewhere.Kevin Thurlow wrote:Strangely I scored 19 as well - obviously the chess questions helped....
Kevin
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Re: The Mathmo Test
I got 16 and must still be considered cool.
- Ian Volante
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Re: The Mathmo Test
22.
meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles meles
Re: The Mathmo Test
7. I win.
- Michael Wallace
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Re: The Mathmo Test
'fraid not, 48 > 7.JackHurst wrote:7. I win.
(they should have taught you that last term)
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Re: The Mathmo Test
27 (It's over 60 years ago that I was granted my degree in maths )
- Rhys Benjamin
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Re: The Mathmo Test
32 for me, is that good or bad though? I think bad!
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Re: The Mathmo Test
52... Compared to the other scores in this thread (remember that this is a Countdown forum) I'm very scared.
cheers maus
Re: The Mathmo Test
22. I have a maths degree and had considered myself fairly geeky but it appears I'm a Conference level maths geek ( see, a football reference, points away for that)
- Andy Platt
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- Graeme Cole
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Re: The Mathmo Test
22, having since done a maths degree.Conor wrote:39 for me.