Any maths buffs?

True. This place will have 4.1 million users by Friday afternoon.

I'm procrastinating heavily at work and trying to work out how you calculate the row letters in excel into a base 10 number.

Excel lists the rows in Base 26 with bijective numeration (ie no 0). What is the calculation process to work from the column letters XFD to the actual corresponding column number; 16,384?

X = 24th, F = 6th and D = 4th

so 24*26*26 + 6*26 + 4

Repped.

Tempted to neg you though for ending my procrastination.

hah sorry

http://www.cyclingmasters.com/press/52-alan-turing

That post reminds me of an cycling related Alan Turing story.

Apparently when he worked at Bletchely Park he rode a bike that was a bit broken. The chain kept falling off. Now as Alan Turing was a little strange, he didn't get the bike fixed, he just learnt exactly when the chain would fall off. He managed to work out the exact number of pedals, or clicks, or wheel revolutions it took for the chain to fall off. Then stop to put it back on just before it fell off and he crashed.

Fixing it would have probably been easier.

How did he it put it back on before it fell off ?

oh we've got a smart one here ^

In the land of the blind.....

A maths programme on TV, probably;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00yh2rc

recorded this......what are the chances of me forgetting to watch it?

A maths programme on TV, probably;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00yh2rc

101%

I'm currently lusting after a set of these, though they are utterly useless

http://www.mathsgear.co.uk/non-transitive-dice-set-of-5/

Fractal geometry, used to map nature. Pretty interesting doco on discovery channel

Hunting the Hidden Dimension, was it's name.

Ok maths fans, I need help.

I'm fucking rubbish at maths, and my 8 year old son has come home with a maths puzzle. That's right. 8 year old. I thought this would be a piece of piss but I'm struggling.

It is a coded message. There are the words 'RON' 'BETH' and 'LUCKY' within it.

Here it is:

7-8-2-11-14

26-9-25

2-9-8-13-26-22

       9           

12-6-8-25-18

        24-1          

22-26-18

13-9-23-10-18-1

         26-18             

15-9-1-22-25

14-6-8

23-6-1

9-1-10

5-18-22-26

22-26

25-18-18

24-22

The first person to solve this will receive valuable internet reputation tokens that can, apparently, be traded for sexual favours in your nearest Dixie Chicken outlet.

Many thanks.

I'll try that!

sorry it double posted, then both went when I deleted.

I don't think it's that simple on 2nd glance. .

Tried it - doesn't work!! Ta though.

I'm glad no-one has shot straight back with it - makes me feel less thick!

Beth has to be 5-18-22-26 as it's the only 4 letter sequence.

That means Lucky = 7-8-2-11-14 as other 5 number sequences have 18 and 22

And Ron is 23-6-1 or 9-1-10.

So that gives:

LUCKY HAS CAUGHT A MOUSE ON THE GARDEN HE WANTS YOU RON AND BETH TO SEE IT

Excellent work, sir. I'll try it out.

It's not a 'maths' problem. It's a simple letter-number code. The third word from the end should be 'to' not 'th' (22-6, not 22-26).

7-8-2-11-14
LUCKY

26-9-25
HAS

2-9-8-13-26-22
CAUGHT

9
A

12-6-8-25-18
MOUSE

24-1
IN

22-26-18
THE

13-9-23-10-18-1
GARDEN

26-18
HE

15-9-1-22-25
WANTS

14-6-8
YOU

23-6-1
RON

9-1-10
AND

5-18-22-26
BETH

22-26
TH

25-18-18
SEE

24-22
IT

where was neu during the 2nd world war when we needed him ?

Awesome work!! (and yes, sorry for that typo!) Reps all round.