09 May 05
Originally posted by orfeotrue... but then can you go at a speed of -20 mph? -80km/h?
What's wrong with defining backwards as negative? Ever looked at a measuring line with zero in the middle? All the positive numbers are on one side, and the negative numbers are on the other. Direction is important.
Honestly, this whole 'paradox' depends on your methods of definition.
10 May 05
Originally posted by Duck Duck GooseThis is the difference between SPEED and VELOCITY. Properly defined, speed has no direction and can only be positive. Velocity, properly defined, is speed IN A DIRECTION.
yea.
..but going 20 mph south facing north isn't -20 mph... you're still going 20 mph, you're just facing the other way. Try walking backwards. You're going at a positive speed, just facing the opposite way
So yes, there is no such thing as negative speed. But there is such a thing as negative velocity.
...what has this got to do with your original question, anyway?
10 May 05
1 edit
umm... no? that brings back the original question: how can you go into something (such as -3) -1 times? you either go into it (1 or more times) or you don't (0 times)
this is a random thought, but also, imagine getting into a car. You can't go into the car -1 times, can you?
10 May 05
1 edit
Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose-3 goes into -3 once.
umm... no? that brings back the original question: how can you go into something (such as -3) -1 times? you either go into it (1 or more times) or you don't (0 times)
this is a random thought, but also, imagine getting into a car. You can't go into the car -1 times, can you?
If 3 went into -3 once, you'd have to say that 3 and -3 are the same value. And in that case, if you had 3 apples and I took away 6, you'd still have 3 apples!
And yes, you can get into a car -1 times. By getting out...
10 May 05
Originally posted by BowmannIF... 3 goes into -3 once. HOWEVER... 3 doesn't go into -3 once. It goes into it negative times. -3 degrees C is colder than 3 degrees, if that relates at all
-3 goes into -3 once.
If 3 went into -3 once, you'd have to say that 3 and -3 are the same value. And in that case, if you had 3 apples and I took away 6, you'd still have 3 apples!
And yes, you can get into a car -1 times. By getting out...
11 May 05
Originally posted by Duck Duck GooseYou represented it just then as MULTIPLICATION question : n times 3 = -3. It's pretty darn obvious n=-1.
umm... no? that brings back the original question: how can you go into something (such as -3) -1 times? you either go into it (1 or more times) or you don't (0 times)
this is a random thought, but also, imagine getting into a car. You can't go into the car -1 times, can you?
As I said before, the only reason there is a 'paradox' is because you are framing the question by physical examples. Mathematically there's no difficulty at all.