Re: Is this math test too easy?

From: The Ghost In The Machine (ewill_at_sirius.athghost7038suus.net)
Date: 11/29/04 

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 04:01:18 GMT

In sci.math, Richard Henry
<rphenry@home.com>
 wrote
on Sun, 28 Nov 2004 14:35:25 -0800
<Nosqd.102292$SW3.77720@fed1read01>:
>
> "The Ghost In The Machine" <ewill@sirius.athghost7038suus.net> wrote in
> message news:cbkp72-pha.ln1@sirius.athghost7038suus.net...
>> In sci.math, Richard Henry
>> <rphenry@home.com>
>> wrote
>> on Sat, 27 Nov 2004 23:10:44 -0800
>> <WReqd.100055$SW3.78409@fed1read01>:
>> >
>> > "Mxsmanic" <mxsmanic@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> > news:m3siq0hu2gr5765se5bdug8jihmhtl1vqp@4ax.com...
>> >> Richard Henry writes:
>> >>
>> >> > I will return to work Monday morning, programming computers (among
> other
>> >> > things) relieved to know that here are no longer any computer errors.
>> >>
>> >> What is a "computer error"?
>> >
>> > Another evasion?
>>
>> I should note here that computers do not make errors (at least,
>> unless there's a problem with such things as bearing wear, external
>> temperature control, voltage problems [+], etc.) -- *we* do.
>> More specifically, the following types of problems are available
>> for the computer to select from -- assuming it even makes sense
>> to give the computer a choice here, for computers are about as
>> smart as an insect, if that. Computers merely do what they're told...

[snip for brevity]

>> > 2) the decimal value 30
>>
>> This is *not* correct if your spec is correct;
>
> Binary-coded decimal (BCD). Some modern microprocessors even have BCD
> arithmetic instructions.

Another possibility; I should have included that. Of course that
would most normally be represented as a single 8-bit value:
0011 0000.

[my stuff snipped]

> That's more or less what I would have said.
>
> Only I would be shorter.
>

It's a curse I have. :-) 

-- 
#191, ewill3@earthlink.net -- insert random oververboseness here
It's still legal to go .sigless.

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