Sunday 21 October 2012

S4.118b - OCT 21/12


Author Notes:


So, this is going to mark a Schedule Slip in Taylor's Polynomials. The first in over 66 weeks. Because while the strip's still fun, and there's still so much potential in story arcs, as I said back on Jan 1st... now, I get the sense that few are being educated or entertained, aside from me. (Do people even care that I have a few different story arcs going now?) Plus I've got three courses to prep this year, along with approaching report card time, and shades of a personal life that's been more complicated recently.

As such... I'll reiterate what I mentioned yesterday on My Other Blog (the more normal one, which also gets more hits per post). This hiatus will last until I've put effort back into creating a buffer. The real question is, how much effort *should* I put into that? Would people want a resumption before the new year? Or not until July 2013, if even then? Moreover, should I wrap up their story lines quick, let them play out as intended, or take it in some new direction that would be more engaging?

This isn't any sort of ransom either, it's not some juvenile 'I'm not writing my next part until I get 30 likes on Facebook' sort of deal.  We'll simply resume faster if there's actual interest.  Because as fun as it is to have Star Trek Trignometry characters riding around in Logarithm's larger-on-the-inside Gazebo, even as the Beta group use anime while singing their way through the high school curriculum... it would sure be MORE fun if I knew how to make it interesting (or dare I say relevant) to more people.

In the meantime, to my two or three loyal followers, I encourage you to check out the following, dare I say, much better and funnier web-comics:
 (x, why?) - for math and more
 Darths & Droids - for roleplay and scifi
 Head Trip - for doubletakes and pop culture

Thanks for reading.  We'll resume at some point.  Now I need to break the news to Para...



<— PREVIOUS INDEX 4 TO XMAS —>

Wednesday 17 October 2012

S4.118 - History/Hertory

"Okay, so we have designs on music," Lyn concluded. "That said, on the off chance that vocaloids corner the market first, let's consider a backup subject."

"History," Cosine suggested. "Dates are numbers, and they can carry particular significance."

"Like birthdays!" Root said. He turned and grinned.
LET THEM EAT BRIOCHE?

"Well, and there are a number of statistics which play a role in history," Elly remarked. "For instance, the numbers on conscription and drafting for wars... tied in to election results..."

"Ooh, I don't know about elections," Secant sighed. "The voter turnout numbers in Western societies are rather depressing of late."

"How about immigration stats?" Nat offered. "Then versus now. Though, I dare say it's always interesting to compare historical events to current ones. Lessons from the past reach into the future and all."

"Assuming you can do proper comparisons," Root countered. "In Canada, the long form census was recently turned into a voluntary survey."

Lyn rubbed her forehead. "This is getting too political. Perhaps if we focused only on the history of mathematics?"

"Or merely the mathematicians?" Elly mused. "Not forgetting about all the female contributions, to be sure..."

"Gender is a whole other issue," Cosine observed.  "Actually, interesting fact, the father of HIStory is considered to be HERodotus."

"Word," Root affirmed.  Or possibly segued.


<— PREVIOUS INDEX 4 TO BREAK —>

Sunday 14 October 2012

S4.117 - Conic Projection

ParaB and QT had excused themselves from the bridge some time ago. The blonde now sat on a bed in the medical bay, with her head in her hands. "Oh, God, how embarrassing...!" came her muffled voice.

ParaB sat down next to the polynomial, then tentatively reached out to pat the other girl on her knee. "It's fine. I won't tell anyone what I saw."

"Oh, but why did it have to be you under the ladder?" the blonde moaned. "It never even occurred..." Her voice trailed off, and then she looked up. "Actually, maybe it DID. Subconsciously. But of COURSE I blocked it out because... uhm... look, I'll try not to do that again!!"

ParaB stared at the catgirl for a few long seconds. Then she smiled. "I'm okay with it, you know. The fact that you're occasionally biquadratic? And don't worry," she added, off QT's abruptly wide eyed expression. "It's just something I noticed. I haven't mentioned it to Para through our telepathy."

The polynomial let out a long breath of relief. "Thanks. Please don't. It would just be so complicated, you know? Because Para's with Root, and maybe there's a Radik out there I simply haven't met... it's just, maybe some part of me is now projecting Para onto you."

"Seems more like a mapping than a projection," ParaB joked. After a pause, she put her hand back on QT's knee. "It's fine. Really. It's actually kind of cute." She squeezed with her fingers. "Besides, it's not like I'M seeing Root."

y^2 + x^4 = 1?
Their gazes met again. This time, the two equations stared at each other for a longer moment. Much longer. Ultimately, QT leaned in a little closer, her lips parting...

"You two still busy modifying that scanner?" Sine asked, poking her head into the room.

ParaB quickly leapt to her feet, as QT tried to recover before falling on her face. "Yes!" ParaB shouted. "I mean, yeah, we'll soon have a device that can scan for mathematical relations. And we shall call it the Quadcorder, after the two of us!"

"We can even test it out on me first, by doing a cat scan!" QT blurted, while sitting up and smoothing down her skirt.

Sine nodded. "Carry on then." She departed, leaving the two girls to stare sidelong at each other.


<— PREVIOUS INDEX 4 NEXT —>

Wednesday 10 October 2012

S4.116 - Taylor Who?


"I'll let Lyn and the beta group know, thanks," Tangent said, smiling at Para. Though as she turned to go, she glanced down at the pad the bunny girl had been working on. "What're you up to anyway?"

"Oh! Funny thing," Para replied. "My mental connection to ParaB is fading in and out, apparently because of Logan's Gazebo. From what I understand, his ship is similar to something from a popular science fiction show. So... songwriting. But not really related to math."

The brunette sat back down. "Sing it for me anyway!" she said brightly. "Nothing wrong with being a little tangential while I'm around."

Para blushed faintly. "All right... I'll be swift."

===
Para  (ax2 + bx + c)  presents....

"THE NEW COMPANION'S LAMENT"

  (*aka "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", Taylor Swift)

Official Song Video here 
Actual Lyrics Video here 


I remember when you spoke up, the first time
Saying that you could regenerate, past lives
All filled with people that you used to know
As you, move through, time and space.   ...What?

Then you tell me that it's in the past
Maybe, since past is also future and could change
Let's see, or is that River Song that you've miscast
I say, I've lost you, who are you, you tell me, Doctor ...Who?

Oooooh, you say you had a companion
But oooooh, this time, I'm here with you, I'm telling you,
We will never ever ever, travel back to get her!
We will never ever ever, travel back to get her!
In this blue police box, let's please talk, talk I plea.
Can we just never ever ever ever... travel back to get her?

For  ...ever?


I'm really good at kicking arse and ass... sometimes.
Failing at it I can act with class. Always.
Or hide away if that's what you prefer, unless
That would make you mad - just give me a sign?

Oooooh, you mentioned her again, just then
But ooooh, it's time. I'm now with you, I'm telling you,
We will never ever ever, travel back to get her!
We will never ever ever, travel back to get her!
In this blue police box, let's please talk, talk I plea,
Can we just never ever ever ever... travel back to get her?

Ooooh. Ooooo-oooh. Yep. Ooooh. Ooooo-oooh.
Ooh, yep. Ooooo-oooh. Yep. Oh oh ohh.


You tell me that, that things, they are timey-wimey.
They still come to you... I respond "Blimey!"

  *sigh* "So he tells me one returned from like, PARALLEL EARRRRTH,
  But I'm like, it's her, I mean you weren't out looking, you know.
  So if they still show up, whatever.  Like, listen..."
THE POWER OF CUBI?


Now we, will never ever ever, travel back to get her!
We will never ever ever, travel back to get her!
In this blue police box, let's please talk, talk I plea,
Can we just never ever ever ever... travel back to get her?

Ooo-ooooh. Ooo-ooooh.
Don't go back to get her!
Oui! Ooo-ooooh.
Ohhhh, don't go back to get her!

In this blue police box, let's please talk, talk I plea!
So we will never ever ever ever... travel back to get her!


Sunday 7 October 2012

S4.115 - Noted

"Hey, that was a music video link!" Root pointed out, somewhat redundantly. "We've missed the obvious."

Lyn facepalmed. "Music. Of course. Time signatures. Fractional note values."

"Math and music IS a natural intersection," Elly agreed. "Even Mozart is said to have liked mathematical puzzles - I wonder if that explains the Mozart Effect?"

"And there's always studies being done, attempting to draw correlations between music and health," Nat said gruffly. "Not to mention how instrument string lengths and octaves tie in with frequencies."

"Plus we can do mapping of numbers to notes!" Cosine chimed in. "Like Philip Moriarty, who was interviewed by Numberphile, having made a song of Pi in the key of C major."

"And for those who prefer Tau, vihart did something similar in a song," Secant concurred.

"Okay," Root said, nodding slowly. "Again, I was going in a different direction. I thought maybe Para could do a promotional song for us. But I prefer where you went with it!"

Lyn adjusted her glasses. "Para would be the expert here though, you're right. I can contact her via Tangent," she decided, holding up her arm with the wristwatch on it. "See if our resident Quadratic can give us any advice."

"Yes, we may want to settle in on a particular musical style..." Cosine mused. "Suggestions?"

OPT FOR MATHIE STYLE
HEEEYYYYY, WHAT COULD x BE?


<— PREVIOUS INDEX 4 NEXT —>

Wednesday 3 October 2012

S4.114 - Two Point Conversion

Root stared at the floor, now feeling totally negative. "You know," he sighed, "After seeing the other personifications, I feel like mathematics is coming real late to this party. I mean, what's next, personifying sinkholes?"

"Now, now. You might simply be looking at our role in the wrong way," Elly soothed, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder.

"Right," Lyn agreed. "This isn't about taking over some other subject area, or turning me into Hydrogen. It's about remaining true to ourselves, merely in the context of another subject."

"Offering them support," Secant agreed.

"Or possibly adapting their ideas," Cosine said. "Have any of you seen the Periodic Table of Finite Simple Groups?"

"Hm! I suppose we could consider tech courses," Root mused, flipping back to being positive. "For instance, logs. Did you know a finished 2 by 4 is actually a 1.5 by 3.5?"

"Hmph, imperial," Nat mumbled. "Such lumber measures 38 by 89 millimetres in metric. More to the point, conversions are huge. But I don't see us popping up on the nearest chalkboard whenever a student has to do measurements."
THERMAL DYNAMICS
"Why not?" Elly asked. "Picture it, the person thinks they're in one course... only to discover they've been metric rolled."


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