Helpers, maybe dissociate yourselves from threads that keep going on and on.

L

lookagain

Elite Member
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This would cut down on your frustrations. A case in point is this thread:

Trying to understand infinity (we are giving infinity a definite beginning point at 1/2 and a definite end point at 1)

But then I am still confused about how the segments/terms reach the other side. A limit just gets arbitrarily close doesn't it? In other words, each n only gets the sum close. How does the gap get filled? They never do! The Nth partial sum is \displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^N \dfrac{1}{2^n}=...
www.freemathhelp.com
 
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lookagain said:
This would cut down on your frustrations. A case in point is this thread:

Trying to understand infinity (we are giving infinity a definite beginning point at 1/2 and a definite end point at 1)

But then I am still confused about how the segments/terms reach the other side. A limit just gets arbitrarily close doesn't it? In other words, each n only gets the sum close. How does the gap get filled? They never do! The Nth partial sum is \displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^N \dfrac{1}{2^n}=...
www.freemathhelp.com
Click to expand...
I am pretty sure the limit of our association with this thread is 0.
 
frustration personified …

monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-head-smack.gif
 
lookagain said:
Helpers, maybe dissociate yourselves from threads that keep going on and on? This would cut down on your frustrations. A case in point is this thread:

Trying to understand infinity (we are giving infinity a definite beginning point at 1/2 and a definite end point at 1)

But then I am still confused about how the segments/terms reach the other side. A limit just gets arbitrarily close doesn't it? In other words, each n only gets the sum close. How does the gap get filled? They never do! The Nth partial sum is \displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^N \dfrac{1}{2^n}=...
www.freemathhelp.com
Click to expand...

Is there any sort of consensus on when/why/at-what-length threads should be locked? I am open to ideas/suggestions/opinions.

Thank you!
 
lookagain said:
This would cut down on your frustrations. A case in point is this thread:

Trying to understand infinity (we are giving infinity a definite beginning point at 1/2 and a definite end point at 1)

But then I am still confused about how the segments/terms reach the other side. A limit just gets arbitrarily close doesn't it? In other words, each n only gets the sum close. How does the gap get filled? They never do! The Nth partial sum is \displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^N \dfrac{1}{2^n}=...
www.freemathhelp.com
Click to expand...
Are you suggesting that we give up on the thread simply because the OP is still confused? Yes, I'm getting frustrated with him because he's stuck in a rut, but that's the job, after all! If he's still willing to try (he needs to be pushed on that a bit more) then I'm still willing to try to help.

-Dan
 
topsquark said:
Are you suggesting that we give up on the thread simply because the OP is still confused? Yes, I'm getting frustrated with him because he's stuck in a rut, but that's the job, after all! If he's still willing to try (he needs to be pushed on that a bit more) then I'm still willing to try to help.
Click to expand...

If the OP is actually trying, actually listening, actually exploring, actually making progress on the basis of what has been provided to the OP, okay, yes, I can see your point.

But we're all familiar with lengthy threads (such as those posted by Harpazo/feliz_nyc/Sologuitar/etc/etc) where this was not at all the case.

It's one thing when the OP is striving, listening, and learning. It's quite another when the OP asks a question showing no effort, and then gets mad when the answer isn't what the OP wanted to hear. It's one thing to stick with a student who is putting in the effort and is clearly making progress, however slow. It's another thing to stick with it for someone who is shouting past you.
 
I stumbled upon a forum earlier today that had a "Trash Can" category, to which pointless (or obscene, etc) threads were moved once their futility became clear. I kinda wish we had something similar here.
 
topsquark said:
Are you suggesting that we give up on the thread simply because the OP is still confused? Yes, I'm getting frustrated with him because he's stuck in a rut, but that's the job, after all! If he's still willing to try (he needs to be pushed on that a bit more) then I'm still willing to try to help.

-Dan
Click to expand...

I am suggesting that the OP appears to be playing the helpers. The helpers can become blind, and it may take an outside observer to point out that they have
been led down a rabbit hole by an a user who is just manipulating them.
 
lookagain said:
I am suggesting that the OP appears to be playing the helpers.
Click to expand...
I have to admit it is often my impression too. But even when they are not playing helpers some seem to have their own "vision" of mathematics, and insist on getting answers to questions which are not based on actual math theories. Various arguments about infinity often belong to this category.
 
blamocur said:
I have to admit it is often my impression too. But even when they are not playing helpers some seem to have their own "vision" of mathematics, and insist on getting answers to questions which are not based on actual math theories. Various arguments about infinity often belong to this category.
Click to expand...
Infinity can be a very strange character.
 
BigBeachBanana said:
Infinity is like a friend who never fnishes their story but keeps saying, 'To be continued...'
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This is the song that doesn't end.
Yes, it goes on and on, my friend.
Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was.
And, they'll continue singing it forever, just because...

This is the song that doesn't end.
Yes, it goes on and on, my friend.
Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was.
And, they'll continue singing it forever, just because...

This is the song that doesn't end...

(repeat forever)
 
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