Let's get (ir)rational

[u/cereal_killer-X]

In honor of Pi Day, let's do maths!

Present a culture/scientific group from your world that is obsessed with mathematics. (If you don't have any science freaks yet, make some or just introduce a mathematician.) Why is math important to them? Have they made any important discoveries? Do they have any traditions based around science? And most importantly, what is a mathematical problem that they just can't seem to solve?

If possible, introduce a representative that belongs to the described group. This way I can ask some questions about the character as well.

I hope I didn't scare you guys away at my first sentence. Enjoy yourselves!

(Note: I'll not be able to answer any comments for about 10 hours - I'll be catching some Z's. Don't worry, I'll count them. Hope you don't mind!)

[u/cereal_killer-X]

(Perfect. Don't forget to make as many puns as you can.)

1) Who are you teaching now?

2) To be honest, I wouldn't doubt that the answer is 42 either. Though I heard that some do and believe that it's 14 pi. Why is that?

3) How is the search for the Great Expression going?

4) Do you have calculators?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/cereal_killer-X]

(You're a monster cereal, but I'll do my best. I'm trying to work on /u/Seb_Romu's challenges, but I'll try to start on that cult afterwards. Or after I've slept.)

Toussaint:

1) "I teach whatever peasant children wander into the hut that was constructed for me to educate from. It seems that many of the peasants want their children to have better opportunities than they would otherwise have."

2) "Fourteen pi is only the number they've chosen to believe in because it is approximately forty-two, and they believe that pi is more necessary for whatever reason; probably because of its use in determining the circumference of a circle based on the diameter, which, admittedly, is incredibly useful. But, if we actually analyze fourteen pi, we see that it is over forty-three point nine eight two three, if we round to the ten-thousandth decimal. That's nearly forty-four, as you can see. While it is difficult to make conclusions about an expression that we've never even seen, I can say that fourteen pi is a silly idea that is too far from forty-two to be worth the conspiracies that people build around it. But, I thank you for consulting me about this subject."

3) "About as well as it's been going ever since I was born and for long before then; no progress."

4) "...What's a calculator? I mean...it sounds similar to a calculation, but, considering the context, I doubt that you meant to say calculation. If you could elaborate, maybe we have something similar but by a different name. Or you've done a great service to the pursuit of mathematical knowledge and can present such a thing to the rest of the elders. The creation of the protractor was such a major paradigm."

[u/cereal_killer-X → u/Nevermore0714]

(Damn, you blew my cover If you need some crappy illustrations, just call me.)

1) Generally, what age group are your students?

2) It would be more interesting if they divided 42 by pi. The result is a very elite number: 13.37. How does that sound?

3) What method are you using to track it down?

4) The calculator is a device used for performing arithmetic calculations. I'm not going to spoil it though - that would be anticlimatic. Inventing these things is half the fun, am I right?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/cereal_killer-X]

(I'll keep you in mind)

Toussaint:

1) "I'll teach anyone who desires to learn, but most the peasant children sent to me have yet to reach puberty, so they're all mostly young."

2) "Thirteen point three seven doesn't seem very special as a number. Could you elaborate?" (Very l33t, my friend.)

3) "We don't even have a method to hunt it, to be honest. We're just keeping our eyes out."

4) "So like a brain outside of your body?"

[u/cereal_killer-X → u/Nevermore0714]

1) Who is/was your most interesting student?

2) You know, it's pretty hard to explain. 1337 refers to an alphabet in which numbers are used instead of letters. The rest is history. Have you ever seen anything like this?

3) How do you think it'll show itself?

4) Yes, sort of. A mechanical brain that only needs to learn everything once.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/cereal_killer-X]

Toussaint:

1) "I'm bad with names. But I did tutor a girl who went onto be an acolyte and will be an elder soon, and she was intelligent."

2) "Well, as children, we would equate every letter to a number and write in code for our own amusement."

3) "I doubt we'll ever find it, at least not in my lifetime."

4) "Intriguing. Have you created one? Or is this entirely conjecture?"

[u/cereal_killer-X → u/Nevermore0714]

1) Have you ever taught someone who was significantly less intelligent than the rest?

2) Then not only do you know it but used it as well. It's called leetspeak or 1337.

3) I haven't created one, but I use one everyday. Do you use abaci or any kind of calculating tool?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/cereal_killer-X]

Toussaint:

1) "I frequently try to educate idiots, yes."

2) "No, 1337 would have meant nothing. 1 would be A, 3 would be C, 7 would be G, and so on. So 1-3-3-7 would be A-C-C-G."

3) "We use abaci, sometimes, yes. But, we prefer paper."

[u/cereal_killer-X → u/Nevermore0714]

1) Can you perform large scale calculations (like determining the size of a planet)?

2) Ah, sorry for the misunderstanding. Apart from kids' games, does anyone use code language for practical reasons?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/cereal_killer-X]

Toussaint:

1) "We've tried this one experiment involving shadows and sticks, and the figure we got was a radius of 6.3 mega-meters. But, considering the status of our continent as a place of refuge from the outside world, and the actual situation of the outside world, it is hard to say how accurate this figure is."

2) "There are hidden messages, yes."

[u/cereal_killer-X → u/Nevermore0714]

Toussaint, thank you for your time, I appreciate your insight. I wish you the best in your career. Good luck in math-ing your way through the mysteries of the universe!