Truth vs Fact.

FrumiousBandersnatch · Aug 15, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
I'll add that to my informal poll: "What is the most common nomenclatura of math?" I'm going out on a limb and guess that not 1 in 50 even understands the question.

There's a difference between understanding the question as stated and understanding what underlies it.

Base 10 arithmetic is the most commonly used form in modern daily life. Binary, octal, and hexadecimal are used in programming. The Sumerians used a sexagesimal system (base 60), the Mayans used a vigesimal system (base 20, with 5 as an intermediate base), the Nigerian Middle Belt cultures used duodecimal (base 12), and so-on.

Basic math operations are the same in all of them. There's a good argument that you're not mathematically literate unless you understand at least the concept of positional number systems.

quatona · Aug 15, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
I'll add that to my informal poll: "What is the most common nomenclatura of math?" I'm going out on a limb and guess that not 1 in 50 even understands the question.

I won´t bet against that. Often people aren´t aware of the basics of a system - they take it for natural.

Belk · Aug 16, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
I'll add that to my informal poll: "What is the most common nomenclatura of math?" I'm going out on a limb and guess that not 1 in 50 even understands the question.

Apparently "truth" is now determined by man on the street interviews.

OldWiseGuy · Aug 16, 2015

Belk said:
Apparently "truth" is now determined by man on the street interviews.

The present tangent involves the general consensus of what constitutes 'basic' math.

Your argument seems to be that 'base' equals 'basic'. Our basic math system is 'base 10'. For confirmation of this just look around wherever math is evident. There is no other system in general use, thus making base 10 the 'basic' math of our place and time.

FrumiousBandersnatch · Aug 17, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
...Our basic math system is 'base 10'. For confirmation of this just look around wherever math is evident. There is no other system in general use, thus making base 10 the 'basic' math of our place and time.

Not so; the vast majority of math in general use today is in digital electronics, which operates in binary. Compared to all that activity, human calculation is insignificant - and in the USA particularly, much of everyday human math isn't metric anyway - speed in mph; distance in feet & inches; time in seconds, minutes, hours; temperature in degrees Farenheit; liquids in fluid oz & gallons; pressure in psi, and so-on.

OldWiseGuy · Aug 17, 2015

FrumiousBandersnatch said:
Not so; the vast majority of math in general use today is in digital electronics, which operates in binary. Compared to all that activity, human calculation is insignificant - and in the USA particularly, much of everyday human math isn't metric anyway - speed in mph; distance in feet & inches; time in seconds, minutes, hours; temperature in degrees Farenheit; liquids in fluid oz & gallons; pressure in psi, and so-on.

But each of the above expressed numerically in Base 10, commonly understood, math.

Decimal (base 10): "Most widely used by modern civilizations." (from your link).

Belk · Aug 17, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
The present tangent involves the general consensus of what constitutes 'basic' math.

Your argument seems to be that 'base' equals 'basic'. Our basic math system is 'base 10'. For confirmation of this just look around wherever math is evident. There is no other system in general use, thus making base 10 the 'basic' math of our place and time.

Is this the truth or your opinion?

OldWiseGuy · Aug 17, 2015

Belk said:
Is this the truth or your opinion?

Both.

Belk · Aug 17, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
Both.

Amazing. It is almost as if you are unable to separate the two.

FrumiousBandersnatch · Aug 18, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
But each of the above expressed numerically in Base 10, commonly understood, math.

Decimal (base 10): "Most widely used by modern civilizations." (from your link).

The point is that the concept of number systems using different radices is familiar, regardless of notation; but for most people it's implicit rather than explicit knowledge.

OldWiseGuy · Aug 18, 2015

Belk said:
Amazing. It is almost as if you are unable to separate the two.

I present the truth as my opinion often. It's kind of a 'sop'.

SkyWriting · Aug 20, 2015

OldWiseGuy said:
It is a fact that immigrants seek a better life in America because of problems in their native lands.

Truth be told, that's not a fact.

OldWiseGuy · Aug 20, 2015

SkyWriting said:
Truth be told, that's not a fact.

Where is the flaw in my statement?

http://usaimmigration.weebly.com/why-do-people-immigrate-to-the-us.html

kkcarter215 · Sep 13, 2015

"Fact" is relative. "Truth" is absolute.

Truth vs Fact.

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