Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for April 27, 1987

This is how I fell when I get these math problems.

I don’t think that is possible to solve whether you are dead or alive

Maybe with a diagram

two inches less than a foot and i’m in zombie town

Hardcore math problem for a 6-year-old. It depends on the angle BAC.Here is a graph of the set of the solutions with the value of AC depending on the value of the angle BAC in radians : http://i.imgur.com/PhoSi.pngI’d rather walk dead than having to solve this by hand, searching for limits and tangents.

Isn’t it a straight line? 10"?

If they are in a straight line, it should be 10 inches, or 3 1/3 inches. I believe the possible answers lie on a hyperbola, so the answer may be anything over 3 1/3 inches. A diagram, or more constraints, sure would help.

That’s why zombies eat brains.

um i think this just goes in circles

10

yeah 10

10"

10"

It’s only 10" if you make assumptions (and we all know that makes an ass-of-u-&-me).

AC = 2ABBC = 5BC = ABAB = 5AC = 2AB = 2 × 5 = 10AC = 1010 inches.

The lengths of the sides are X, 2X, and 5. We are asked to find 2X. The term “distance” is used, so the triangle inequality applies. Therefore:

X + 2X >= 5

X + 5 >= 2X

5 + 2X >= X

Reducing, and solving for 2X:

2X >= 3 1/3

2X <= 10

2X >= -10

So all we know, without further assumptions is that AC is between 3 1/3 and 10, inclusive.

Note that this analysis does not assume and particular distance function. In particular it does not assume a distance function derived from a euclidian norm. But I doubt Calvin’s teacher could even tell you what that means.

AB: 5"

BC: 5"

AC: 10"

He just straight up turns into a zombie, nice

I love C&H and have read every single one of them multiple times, but this is one of the few that actually makes me audibly laugh every time.

I’m in accelerated math, I would figure this out if their was a use for it.

The Living Dead don’t need to solve math at all

As pointed out above, in one dimension — all points on the same line — the answer can be either 10 or 3 1/3; while, in more dimensions, it can also be anywhere between. The location of points on a plane where A can be found is a circle; this is called the Apollonius circle theorem.

Last three panels… eek!

10

I ran it in Excel, and I came up with several solutions:#1,916 A 6 B 11 C 16 #2,217 A 7 B 12 C 17 #2,498 A 8 B 13 C 18 #2,759 A 9 B 14 C 19 #3,000 A 10 B 15 C 20

The living dead don’t have the BRAINS to solve word problems!

This is first grade stuff. The distance from B to C is 5 inches, and if it’s twice as far from A to C, then the answer is 10 inches. Calvin’s just too stupid (or lazy) to do simple math.