Math Puzzle #001

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Incrementalist
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Math Puzzle #001

#1 Post by Incrementalist » Sat Jun 23, 2018 9:30 pm

Produce an equation that expresses how long it will take for a baby born today to reach median age, given birth rate, median lifespan, average lifespan, current population, and anything else you think you need.

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#2 Post by Mercy » Sun Jun 24, 2018 2:22 am

Anything else I think I need?

How long it will take for a baby born today to reach median age = How long it will take for a baby born today to reach median age.
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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#3 Post by Claesar » Sun Jun 24, 2018 8:52 am

According to this site:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... median_age

The average median age is around 30. The equation would then be:
m = 30

Where 'm' equals the median age.

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#4 Post by CptMike » Sun Jun 24, 2018 3:07 pm

Amazing : median age in the US is 38 and it is 43 in the EU...
Would this mean with live older in the EU ?

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#5 Post by Carol » Sun Jun 24, 2018 5:23 pm

It could, but it could also imply that Americans have a higher birth rate.

T = M + ΔM(T)

T is the time it takes
M is the current median age
̙̙ΔM(T) is how much the median age changes over the course of T

I'm being a lazy here and assuming ΔM(T) counts as a valid "anything else you think you need".
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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#6 Post by Maniac » Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:44 pm

The median age when the baby is born won't be the median age when the baby reaches it, so we'd have to factor in how median age projections are going.

Also where is this baby born? Is it male or female or NB? Is it born to a wealthy family?

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#7 Post by jason4747 » Sat Jun 30, 2018 5:59 pm

Out of curiosity,  what is the point if this math puzzle?  Are you looking for something like the below equation for extraterrestrial civilizations:

[Source:  https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.space. ... ation.html]

First proposed by radio astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, the equation calculates the number of communicating civilizations by multiplying several variables. It's usually written, according to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), as:

N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L

N = The number of civilizations in the Milky Waygalaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

R* = The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life.

fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.

ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.

fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.

fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.

fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.

L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.

The challenge (at least for now) is that astronomers don't have firm numbers on any of those variables, so any calculation of the Drake Equation remains a rough estimate for now. There have been, however, discoveries in some of these fields that give astronomers a better chance of finding the answer.

The recent discoveries of rocky worlds near Proxima Centauri (a star of the Alpha Centauri system) and TRAPPIST-1 have increased the public's attention on the search for life. These stars, however, are red dwarfs that might be too volatile for life. More study is needed to understand where life might be possible, and whether it could persist long enough to communicate with other civilizations.
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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#8 Post by Incrementalist » Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:52 am

jason4747 wrote:
Sat Jun 30, 2018 5:59 pm
Out of curiosity,  what is the point if this math puzzle? 
I was trying to introduce a new topic to help bump a different, imploding conversation off the front page.
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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#9 Post by MajorMitchell » Sun Jul 01, 2018 2:41 pm

One positive thing that might arise from discovering evidence of intelligent extra terrestrial life is a unifying effect amongst ourselves.. the potential common threat/enemy effect.

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#10 Post by FriendlyNation » Sun Jul 01, 2018 8:50 pm

Very true, except for the traitors amongst us who would sell their race out for temporary benefits. Speaking of which, I for one welcome our intelligent extra terrestrial overlords.

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#11 Post by Incrementalist » Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:12 pm

MajorMitchell wrote:
Sun Jul 01, 2018 2:41 pm
One positive thing that might arise from discovering evidence of intelligent extra terrestrial life is a unifying effect amongst ourselves.
This is an anti-human attitude, and not just in the context of extraterrestrials.

Wishing for a catastrophe so that "unity" can be achieved literally gives "unity" precedence over human well-being.

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#12 Post by FriendlyNation » Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:27 pm

But unity would be for human well-being, and discovery of intelligent life would not necessarily mean catastrophe for humans... Could be a catastrophe for the aliens instead or, hopefully, a boon for both. I agree with Mjr. Mitchell that common threats (not necessarily disasters) are the one thing that is able to unite humans.

By the way, Ronald Reagan said something similar, to a bit of derision: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/flashback-re ... n-unifying

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#13 Post by Incrementalist » Sun Jul 01, 2018 11:04 pm

I agree that the distinction between threats and disasters is meaningful, but my point nevertheless stands. Unity against a threat, or a disaster, involves crushing a natural human tendency (the tendency to squabble) under extreme duress.

People tangle, it's human nature. We're born that way. Trying to perfect people by way of external threats is anti-human.

EDITED TO ADD: Why is "unity" even desirable? Beyond the basics of living in a community with institutions stable enough to protect people's lives and property, why should "unity" be a goal? It seems sufficient to simply prevent squabbles from becoming too extreme.

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#14 Post by FriendlyNation » Tue Jul 03, 2018 11:36 am

Things like Prisoner's Dilemma illustrate why unity is desirable: the best outcome is that both prisoners cooperate. But if the prisoners can't trust each other, the unfortunate rational best course of action for each is to betray the other. Which results in a sub-optimal outcome for both (even though not the worst). If they can trust each other, the rational best course is to cooperate, which achieves the ideal outcome for all.

Unity (i.e. trust) is a huge boon to a group. Unfortunately, the more trust there is in a group, the more rewarding it becomes to subvertive members that take advantage of the lack of barriers of the trusty members.

This page is a great exploration of how trust (and the lack of it) changes groups: https://ncase.me/trust/

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#15 Post by Octavious » Tue Jul 03, 2018 12:28 pm

Incrementalist wrote:
Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:12 pm
MajorMitchell wrote:
Sun Jul 01, 2018 2:41 pm
One positive thing that might arise from discovering evidence of intelligent extra terrestrial life is a unifying effect amongst ourselves.
This is an anti-human attitude, and not just in the context of extraterrestrials.

Wishing for a catastrophe so that "unity" can be achieved literally gives "unity" precedence over human well-being.
It doesn't have to be a catastrophe. The existence of an alien intelligence will make humans appear less different to each other regardless of whether they are hostile or friendly. I reckon that worse than finding hostile aliens will be finding friendly aliens who are very much like us but just better in every way. That would be unbearable.

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Re: Math Puzzle #001

#16 Post by jason4747 » Wed Jul 04, 2018 1:35 am

I also would like to be the first to welcome our alien overlords, FriendlyNation
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