OT: Simple maths question

It's not a debate. The language is English. From England. We say what's right, the Americans just f*ck it up.

Reply to
Jimmy Wilkinson Knife
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It must be some obscure Scottish logic that makes it forty and four.

Reply to
rbowman

you dont go into a store and say 'ten mathematics, please' either.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Mathematics is the same as Physics, they're both collections of methods. Therefore are plural. It may be illogical to speak about only one of those methods at a time, but so what, Mathematics is still plural.

Reply to
Jimmy Wilkinson Knife

=80=99, from Old

l (art)=E2=80=99,

anein =E2=80=98learn=E2=80=99.

I guess back then they did only have one mathematic. Nowadays we use ma= ny of them together to provide the answer to what we're trying to solve.=

-- =

I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me and the seco= nd one didn't.

Reply to
Jimmy Wilkinson Knife

You don't. There are some nouns (for example "ball") where numbers can be applied, and that have singular and plural forms. Then there are nouns that don't take a number, and singular/plural don't make sense.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

Correct, as in mathematics, which is always plural.

Reply to
Jimmy Wilkinson Knife

But you can say 'give me a physic, please.'

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Reply to
rbowman

You can if you like, but nobody's actually heard of that word.

Reply to
Jimmy Wilkinson Knife

'Nobody' was determined by a poll of yourself and the mouse in your pocket.

Reply to
rbowman

And everybody I've ever met in 42 years, plus everyone on TV I've seen. None of them ever said physic.

Reply to
Jimmy Wilkinson Knife
[snip]

I have, and I suppose the plural could be "physics". This is still a different word that the one for the science.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

Is 'physic' not an obsolete synonym for medicine? Used in Shakespeare's day, perhaps?

Reply to
Tim Streater

More recently than that in the US to apply specifically to a laxative.

Reply to
rbowman

I got it (49 is half of 98, plus 0.5) , but when I compete with the grocery store cash register, I'm always off by a dime, never a penny or a dollar.

Reply to
micky

Pressure, half of nine is 4, 99 is odd so needs a 0.5.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Half of nine is 4.5, not 4.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

Pedant. First word is relevant.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Yes. Also a slang term for someone quite "odd."

SteveW

Reply to
Steve Walker

How could anyone come to 4 as half of nine?

Reply to
Jimmy Wilkinson Knife

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