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Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 4:00 pm
(This post was last modified: March 27, 2015 at 4:01 pm by watchamadoodle.)
My biggest problem with science when I was in college was differential equations. I was very good at math until we had to start solving differential equations. I remember writing those suckers out on paper. Do this. Transform into that. Drop a term. ... Scribble, scribble. Oops, I made a sign error on the previous page. Start over from the beginning. ... Finally (if I was lucky) the equation would match something in a big, fat, smelly book, and I could look up the solution for that equation. ... Usually I would find that I had the wrong answer after all that work.  (this was back in the 80s)
I was just wondering if the computers might have eliminated all that misery. It would be nice if the computers could graph the equations in three dimensions and do all the math for you. 
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 4:04 pm
Yes they can.
But I'm not telling. Work on your math, you lazy bum 
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 5:12 pm
Yes, they do everything
I can't even add
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 5:17 pm
They can do anything but be sentient yet..
Atheism is a non-prophet organization join today.
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Computers solve lots of problems(using softwares like MATLAB), but some equations need human intelligence to be solved.
Perfect example is the integration of an equation. some integrations are so hard, they're remain unsolved .
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 5:24 pm
(March 27, 2015 at 5:12 pm)Alex K Wrote: Yes, they do everything
I can't even add
Same here, all I see are subtractions in my bank account 
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 5:29 pm
(This post was last modified: March 27, 2015 at 5:30 pm by robvalue.)
Calculus is the only pure pleasure left in life, don't let the computer rob you of it!
Some equations can't be solved with regular methods and you have to resort to iterative techniques; in those cases computers are the winners.
If you have a certain form of differential equation which is solvable with a particular method, it would be pretty easy to write a program that solved it given various coefficients.
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 5:54 pm
(March 27, 2015 at 5:29 pm)robvalue Wrote: Calculus is the only pure pleasure left in life, don't let the computer rob you of it!
Some equations can't be solved with regular methods and you have to resort to iterative techniques; in those cases computers are the winners.
If you have a certain form of differential equation which is solvable with a particular method, it would be pretty easy to write a program that solved it given various coefficients. Yeah, I liked calculus, but I just felt very confused with the differential equations. I think I found that book I hated so much:
http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781584882978
The one I had to use was old and smelly.
Whenever I think about physics, I just remember that smelly book and I know it wasn't right for me. 
BTW You guys might fool me into believing you can't add, but you can't fool the zombies. They can smell those scientist brains a mile away.
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 6:30 pm
(March 27, 2015 at 5:54 pm)watchamadoodle Wrote: (March 27, 2015 at 5:29 pm)robvalue Wrote: Calculus is the only pure pleasure left in life, don't let the computer rob you of it!
Some equations can't be solved with regular methods and you have to resort to iterative techniques; in those cases computers are the winners.
If you have a certain form of differential equation which is solvable with a particular method, it would be pretty easy to write a program that solved it given various coefficients. Yeah, I liked calculus, but I just felt very confused with the differential equations. I think I found that book I hated so much:
http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781584882978
The one I had to use was old and smelly.
Whenever I think about physics, I just remember that smelly book and I know it wasn't right for me.
BTW You guys might fool me into believing you can't add, but you can't fool the zombies. They can smell those scientist brains a mile away.
If you're more of the visual learner type:
Khan Academy is one of the best resources online to learn Calculus. If that doesn't help, try PatrickJMT.
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RE: Do computers solve the equations yet?
March 27, 2015 at 6:38 pm
That book doesn't look like it was meant as a pedagogical intro for learning diff equations, and more like a reference...
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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