A clock for math whizzes
Update 7:40 p.m. PST January 6: Thanks to alert reader OneGB for supplying the origin of the clock. The central design may look like a bungled biohazard symbol, but it in fact is another three-nine reference, the "hurricane" symbol of a high-IQ organization called the Triple Nine Society. The group also sells Triple Nine aprons, mugs, bibs, underwear, and other whatnot at CafePress.com.
(Credit:
Dean Hunt, StreetLessons)
Math enthusiasts who don't want to move totally into the digital realm might appreciate this analog clock.
Each number is expressed as a calculation involving three instances of the number 9.
For example, 5 o'clock is the square root of nine (3), factorial (3x2x1 = 6), minus 9/9 (6-1 = 5).
The trickiest time is 7 o'clock, whose calculation works out to 6.99999..., with an infinite number of nines. Wikipedia assures us that 0.99999... really does equal 1, so no worries that the clock is cheating there.
While we're on the subject of archaic clock technology, how come clocks and watches with Roman numerals represent 4 o'clock with IIII rather than the traditional IV? A friend told me it was because it was easier for illiterate people to comprehend, but I'd love to see some history about this.
(Via Bad Astronomy Blog.)
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 





roman-iiii-vs-iv-on-clock-dials.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals#IIII_vs._IV
PS: sorry if someone already posted that one, my mac is suffering
from crippling lag.
(9/9)
Fact(SqrRt(9)) - (9/9)
http://www.triplenine.org
Or you can get the clock at their cafepress site:
http://www.cafepress.com/triplenine#housewares
(9/sqrt9)+(9/sqrt9)+(9/9)?
Like you need to actually perform the calculations to find out what time it is. Some of the most popular watch interfaces do not include any numbers on the face (Rolex). Others (Movado), do not include ANY MARKERS, except for a shiny thingy at 12.
any other clock....
doesn't matter.
as accurate. Summarizing a proof in the Wikipedia article, 1/9 =
0.11111.... Hence, 9/9 = 9*1/9 = 0.99999... = 1.
the..." by megapenitent above. The "Reply to Story" and "Reply to
this Comment" buttons are like right next to each other.
In other words there is no number immediately after 7. Or immediately after any other number for that matter.
- 7
- by godseyesore January 7, 2008 1:38 PM PST
- 6.999.....to infinity does not equal 7.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
-
- If this was tongue in cheek...
- by volterwd January 7, 2008 1:49 PM PST
- where was your tongue... 6.999... is 7.
- Like this
-
(24 Comments)Clock is broken from get-go!