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UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Jun 26, 2025 at 09:18 AM ET
Late Morning Trivia: [Science/Math/Physics style]
Below are four equations. For a Ding name the equation/theorem. For a Ding Ding name the person generally credited with proving or discovering that equation. For a Ding Ding Ding name the century it happened! One equations per lounger till noon. ** Edited by UTPr0sim at 6/26/2025, 9:18:41 AM

40 Replies

BB Hokie BB Hokie
Since it's after noon... C is the wave equation, but I don't know who
got credit for that one or when. It's much easier when the equation is named after the guy rather than the phenomena.
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Ding for wave equation. Explanation below! Nice Job!
TomTurkey TomTurkey
C. “What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"
European would be in KPS
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Noon Answers for the Lounge!
A. The Pythagorean Theorum by Pythagorus in about 530BC. Pythagorus proved the theorum, (QED!) but its been around since 1500 BC. B. Newton's Gravitation Equation - Isaac Newton came up with this equation in 1687. Smart Cookie Isaac. Note this is an extension of Newton's F=ma C. The wave equation. Derived by Jean-Baptiste le Rond d'Alembert in 1743. dAlembert worked off of Newton's equations to find the perfect equation for a modulating string and waves. I learned this one for the O in my AOE degree D. Fourier Transformation. Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier developed his series of equations in 1822 to break down complex and messy data in to simpler linear behavier. This one was a prime function in the A part of my AOE degree.
TomTurkey TomTurkey
The "*" became popular in foundation engineering for driving P/S conc piles
*wave equation - if it's the same wave equation
BB Hokie BB Hokie
Now I see why the wave equation didn't take the name of the scientist...
He got his name on "d'Alembert's principle" instead.
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Actually it has been called the d'Alembert equation, but that's not the
popular name. I learned as the wave equation attributed to d'Alembert. A rose, is a rose by any other name..
BB Hokie BB Hokie
D is the Fourier Transform from the early 1800's. We all "use it" daily...
for all sorts of imagine or signal processing (compression, etc.). It's a way of converting between the time domain and frequency domain. (Yes, I'm an engineering prof at VT).
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Ding ding Ding! all three!
TomTurkey TomTurkey
D. 🎶It's about time, it's about space, it's all about the human race...🎶
S
squarerootofone
being a liberal arts major i can tell you who wrote the catcher in the rye
M
MikeVT85
I can tell you the main character in Debbie Does Dallas.
E
EDGEMAN
Debbie?
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
SHUN!
TomTurkey TomTurkey
As an engineering major I had to read 'Fathers and Sons'
E
EDGEMAN
Was it a baseball player?
TIC JDS, right?
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Don't think Salinger played much. He did like younger women though...
S
squarerootofone
indeed
VT BronzeBacker VT BronzeBacker
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Vtskier1 Vtskier1
NERDS!
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Brown Water Brown Water
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hoosnowahokie hoosnowahokie
B is Newton? 16th century?
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Ding for Newton, Ding for 1600s, Now what is the equation???
JoesterVT JoesterVT
point of order, "16th century" and "1600s" is not the same thing
** Edited by JoesterVT at 6/26/2025, 11:05:17 AM
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
I know that, You know that, Most people don't. LOL Welcome to the 21st....
hoosnowahokie hoosnowahokie
Gravitational force?
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
DING! Newton' Gravitational Equation discovered in 1687
H
HokieJamie
I was told there would be no math
** Edited by HokieJamie at 6/26/2025, 12:33:37 PM
Stork Stork
Physics has no place in trivia contests.
TomTurkey TomTurkey
More Calculus?
I had 6 quarters and I learned A. in Trig in HS. Or was it Geometry?
TomTurkey TomTurkey
Like it makes a difference!
JoesterVT JoesterVT
I heard that Dr. Don is an expert on Calculus...
...or was that Tartar? I could never figure out the difference....
A
ACCWatcher
A. I know from trig. D.?- take it to the Differential Equations Board.
TomTurkey TomTurkey
Differential equations with a hungover grad student - summer course
Co-ops alternated quarters
M
MikeVT85
Back in 1984 I took a graduate class in McBryde
called "Applied Partial Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems" (I still have the textbook). I paid a PhD math major $10/hr for tutoring, recommended by a classmate that had taken the class, when I needed it. He also helped in pointing out some of the problems that are likely to be on the exams. Ended up getting one of the two "A's" given in the class. I asked the PhD if this stuff came easy to him. He said no, he had/has to labor at it just like most of us. ** Edited by MikeVT85 at 6/26/2025, 10:45:37 AM
M
MCL3 Hokie
I still have nightmares about D.
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
I learned all 4 of these somewhere between High School and leaving VT
Hint for me I discovered D late in my sophomore year and used it the rest of my AOE degree.
JoesterVT JoesterVT
A - Pythagarus - 400 BC
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim OP
Ding Ding - Close on the Century. Don't have an exact date though 530BC
was what I found. And Pythagorus died in 495BC ** Edited by UTPr0sim at 6/26/2025, 9:33:08 AM
E
EDGEMAN
Congrats on grabbing the low hanging fruit...lol
B looks very familiar. Drawing a blank on C. D looks a little familiar...