Omnimaga

General Discussion => Other Discussions => Math and Science => Topic started by: Munchor on July 13, 2011, 03:12:48 pm

Title: What is this called in English?
Post by: Munchor on July 13, 2011, 03:12:48 pm

2 - 4
8 - x

x = (4*8 )/2
x = 32/2
x = 16

5 - 15
1 - x

x = 3

What do you call these things:

a - b
c - x

Thanks :)

Title: Re: English Question
Post by: Anima on July 13, 2011, 03:16:05 pm

variable?

Title: Re: English Question
Post by: merthsoft on July 13, 2011, 03:17:48 pm

"x" is a variable, "x=2-4" is an equation. Does that help?

Title: Re: English Question
Post by: Munchor on July 13, 2011, 03:20:52 pm

No I mean it's like the whole thing:

a - b
c - x

I think it's proportion something...

Title: Re: English Question
Post by: Juju on July 13, 2011, 03:25:00 pm

The rule of three?

Title: Re: English Question
Post by: Munchor on July 13, 2011, 03:26:01 pm

Quote from: Juju on July 13, 2011, 03:25:00 pm

The rule of three?

Bingo! Thanks Juju :)

Title: Re: English Question
Post by: Juju on July 13, 2011, 03:27:54 pm

You're welcome, the rule of three is so useful.

Title: Re: English Question
Post by: Deep Toaster on July 13, 2011, 03:30:40 pm

Speaking of the rule of three, I've always loved this explanation:

Quote from: Cocker's Arithmetick

Again, observe, that of the three given numbers, those two that are of the same kind, one of them must be the first, and the other the third, and that which is of the same kind with the number sought, must be the second number in the rule of three; and that you may know which of the said numbers to make your first, and which your third, know this, that to one of those two numbers there is always affixed a demand, and that number upon which the demand lieth must always be reckoned the third number