> It is not immediately clear to be that the quotient of two polynomials is 
> necessarily a polynomial.

Nope, same as dividing two integers doesn't always give an integer answer, 
you sometimes end up with fractional parts in the answer.

eg 10/4 = 2 + 2/4

same as

(x^3+2x^2)/(x^2+1) = x+2 + (-x-2)/(x^2+1)

> And if you think your experience was bad, imagine being in a room full of 
> undergraduates and finding that only 2 of them know what "logarithm" 
> means.

Didn't your course require a maths A level for entry?

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>> It is not immediately clear to me that the quotient of two polynomials 
>> is necessarily a polynomial.
> 
> Nope, same as dividing two integers doesn't always give an integer 
> answer, you sometimes end up with fractional parts in the answer.

Right. So there should also be a polymonial modulus operator?

> Didn't your course require a maths A level for entry?

I'm not 100% sure on that - I think it might have said "you must have 3 
good A-levels" but not specify any specific subjects.

Either way, I have no A-levels at all, and I got in. ;-)

(But I had a crazy college tutor who claimed to have worked at 
"Oxbridge" that said I was worthy - I guess that must have had something 
to do with it...)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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> Right. So there should also be a polymonial modulus operator?

I guess so, never heard of it or needed it myself though.

> Either way, I have no A-levels at all, and I got in. ;-)

I guess they weren't overrun with applicants then ;-)

Seriously though, you should consider picking up a couple at evening school, 
it will make any future job applications look much better.  I suspect you'd 
breeze through the maths one, and you'd probably fill out some holes in your 
knowledge.  Plus you get the chance to meet hot geek girls.

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>> Either way, I have no A-levels at all, and I got in. ;-)
> 
> I guess they weren't overrun with applicants then ;-)

Well like I said, I had a college tutor behind me telling everybody how 
great I am. (And obviously I had the qualification I got from college too.)

> Seriously though, you should consider picking up a couple at evening 
> school, it will make any future job applications look much better.

Right. Because holdong an honours degree really helped me in that 
direction. Oh, wait...

> I 
> suspect you'd breeze through the maths one, and you'd probably fill out 
> some holes in your knowledge.

Possibly. But given the tiny amount of free time I have available to me, 
it would be quite a struggle to fit it in. Not to mention the financial 
cost involved...

> Plus you get the chance to meet hot geek girls.

Many have claimed these exist. I have yet to see any evidence. :-P

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> (Seriously - why the hell does anybody in the modern era need to be 
> fluent at long division? Sure, you should know how it works. But being 
> able to finish 50 problems in an hour? That just seems pointless. Get a 
> computer!)

  Btw, some schools and school books in the US are taking the other extreme:
They are dumbing down basic math to the point where nobody learns anything
useful.

  For example, they don't teach the classical way of summing or multiplying
two numbers on paper anymore *at all*. It's like it's completely censored.

  Instead, they give a few heuristics on how to deduce the result of a few
easy cases, and for the rest the rule is basically "if you can't deduce it,
use a calculator".

  No matter how much the current world wants to deny it, there still are
situations where eg. summing or multiplying two large numbers on paper is
necessary. You might be in a situation where you simply don't have access
to a calculator or a computer, and you *really* need to know how much
you have to pay for a certain amount of something, for example.

  Those heuristics are supposed to make calculations "easier", but in
many cases a simple classical mechanical paper&pen algorithm is easier
and more practical.

  What I don't understand is why they have to censor the classical way.
I would understand if they taught *both* methods.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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>> Seriously though, you should consider picking up a couple at evening 
>> school, it will make any future job applications look much better.
>
> Right. Because holdong an honours degree really helped me in that 
> direction. Oh, wait...

I'm sure it has actually, by having that honours degree you have opened up a 
whole new set of jobs that without the degree would have been impossible to 
get.

I only say about the A-levels, because if someone applies here with a degree 
from a university that we are not faimiliar with, we'll likely look to see 
what A-level grades they got (well actually we'll look anyway, but it's less 
important).  While I'm sure you are capable of getting an A at maths, if 
it's not on paper then how are we going to know?  Also it's a bit unusual in 
this day and age to have a degree but no A levels.  Expect to be asked about 
that.

While it might not help you actually get the job, it will definitely help 
you get interviews.

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>>> Seriously though, you should consider picking up a couple at evening 
>>> school, it will make any future job applications look much better.
>>
>> Right. Because holdong an honours degree really helped me in that 
>> direction. Oh, wait...
> 
> I'm sure it has actually, by having that honours degree you have opened 
> up a whole new set of jobs that without the degree would have been 
> impossible to get.
> 
> I only say about the A-levels, because if someone applies here with a 
> degree from a university that we are not faimiliar with, we'll likely 
> look to see what A-level grades they got (well actually we'll look 
> anyway, but it's less important).  While I'm sure you are capable of 
> getting an A at maths, if it's not on paper then how are we going to 
> know?  Also it's a bit unusual in this day and age to have a degree but 
> no A levels.  Expect to be asked about that.
> 
> While it might not help you actually get the job, it will definitely 
> help you get interviews.

All I can say is that IME, as soon as you ask somebody about a job they 
instantly say "how many years experience do you have?" If you say some 
number less than 3, suddenly nobody wants to know you. I have no idea 
what the hell is so special about 3, but what ever. Employers seem 
completely uninterested in what qualifications you have, only how much 
experience you have.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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And lo on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:38:01 +0100, Jim Henderson  
<nos### [at] nospamcom> did spake, saying:

> On Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:23:13 -0400, Warp wrote:
>
>> Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
>>> (Seriously - why the hell does anybody in the modern era need to be
>>> fluent at long division?
>>
>>   No such thing as useless knowledge.
>
> How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? ;-)

One, provided he can find a partner who can also gavotte.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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And lo on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:16:22 +0100, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did  
spake, saying:

> For some reason, we live in a culture where it is seen as "desirable" to  
> not be cleaver. People who are good at football are regarded as gods,  
> but anybody who claims to be good at (say) trigonometry is regarded as a  
> pathetic failure of a human being.

Here in the UK Kate Fox puts in down to being part of the Importance of  
Not Being Earnest rule. It's perfectly alright to be good at mathmatics  
provided you a) don't obviously study for it and b) are able to put down  
your own talents. Otherwise you've either taking it too seriously or  
showing off and both of those are cardinal sins and deserve beatings to  
knock it out of you.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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And lo on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:45:15 +0100, scott <sco### [at] laptopcom> did  
spake, saying:

>> That's nice.  We've been thinking about moving to the UK for a few years
>> now, but if we earn over a certain amount in the UK, we still have to  
>> pay
>> US taxes as well as UK taxes.
>
> That really is crazy.  How do they justify taxing you when you are not  
> even living there?  Does that mean that anyone born in USA must  
> (potentially) pay USA taxes for the rest of their life no matter in  
> which country they live? What a hassle!

Possibly because growing up there you've benefited from the previous  
generations work and you shouldn't be able to simply divorce your debt to  
them by moving away?

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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