Is Al-gebra a Real Threat or Just a Clever Pun?

  • Thread starter skywise
  • Start date
In summary, an individual who was later discovered to be a public school teacher was arrested at New York Kennedy airport today trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule and a calculator. The attorney general believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement and is being charged with carrying weapons of math instruction. President Bush said if God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes.
  • #1
skywise
21
0
Someone emailed this to me and I thought you all might get a hoot out of it..
Don't have a source for it though, sorry.. It was a forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


At New York Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to
be a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight
while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide
rule and a calculator.

Attorney general John Ashcroft believes the man is a member of the
notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged with carrying weapons
of math instruction.

"Al-gebra is a very fearsome cult, indeed", Ashcroft said. "They
desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off
on a tangent in a search of absolute value. They consist of quite
shadowy figures, with names like "x" and "y", and, although they are
frequently referred to as "unknowns", we know they really belong to a
common denominator and are part of the axis of medieval with
coordinates in every country.

As the great Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, "There are 3
sides to every triangle."

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had
wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have
given us more fingers and toes. "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Oh man...
That was classic, absolutely hilarious. I've got to show this to my algebra teacher.
 
  • #3
Ah! The terrorist sect of Al-Gebra is here! Run for your lives! They will horribly destroy us by dividing us by zero and thus making our lives as we know it undefinable!
 
  • #4
I have an old high school math teacher who would get a kick out of this.
 
  • #5
I've read this before, posted on a board in the math department. Funny one :smile:
 
  • #6
So now I'm going to have even more cause for nightmares! Thanks a lot!

cookiemonster
 
  • #7
Let's see who can improve upon this, perhaps making more parallels.
 
  • #8
Bush better not use this in his campaign to be re-elected because the exponents of these variables is very wide spread. I wonder if they will start tapping my phone because I've known how to simplify for years.
 

FAQ: Is Al-gebra a Real Threat or Just a Clever Pun?

What is the notorious cult of Al-gebra?

The notorious cult of Al-gebra is a satirical term used to refer to the study of algebra, a branch of mathematics that deals with manipulating symbols and solving equations.

Why is it called a cult?

The term "cult" is used in a playful or joking manner to emphasize the difficulty or complexity of algebra and the dedication and devotion required to master it.

Is algebra really that difficult?

Algebra can be challenging for some individuals, but with proper instruction and practice, it can be mastered by anyone. It requires logical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a solid foundation in basic math concepts.

Who created the cult of Al-gebra?

The term was first coined by the French mathematician François Viète in the 16th century, who used the word "algebra" as a shortened form of the Arabic phrase "al-jabr," meaning "reunion of broken parts."

Is there any truth to the cult-like aspects of algebra?

No, the term "cult" is purely a humorous exaggeration and has no real connection to the study of algebra. It is simply a way for people to poke fun at the challenges and complexities of this field of mathematics.

Back
Top