I’m the answer to part of Derbyshire’s brainteaser today (sort of, I’ll be x for part of x^2 and then turn x+1 in June of x^2). What year was I born? (ahh, anyone paying attention already knows that)
Can anyone find a positive to the third part of his brainteaser? I couldn’t on a quick scan through.
BTW, I also like his engineer joke today. There’s been a debate in The Corner on whether engineers are generally liberal, and I sent an e-mail to Jonah Goldbeg telling him that not only am I an engineer and a conservative, I’m going to steal his job.
Engineer: “The glass has a safety factor of two.”
(One can tell Derb’s not a gear.)
1979?
Frank, In x^11, you’ll be bouncing your x year old future binary geek grandson on your knee, while still plotting to take Jonah’s job away from him!
In my 24 years of dealing with engineers, I learned one fact that never failed me: Engineers ALWAYS believe that they are smarter than you are. Usually they aren’t, but they damn sure believe it.
What course in EGO 102 do engineers have to pass to get a sheepskin?
1806
I’m gonna have to agree with Acidman on this one.
My brother is a mechanical engineer and he thinks he’s smarter than anyone in the family.
He is smart, but I’M the smartest one in that family.
Morons.
Engineers always [de-emphasis mine] believe that they are smarter than you? That’s mean and you hurt my feelings. I’m so upset I may make a mistake and a plane will fall from the sky, and perhaps you would be on it– then you could say, “damn those stupid egomaniacal engineer!”
1980’s child, in the year 2025. Doesn’t apply to me, but it’s the answer to the Derb’s problem.
Does anyone besides me find it far too “coincidental” that 1980 was the Chinese Year of the Monkey?
As is this election year.
On the third part, you won’t find a solution until someone is age 2 in the year 2^11 (2048) and after than until someone is age 3 in the year 3^7 (2187).
The only other possible solution for someone who (or was) x years old in the year x^2 and is still alive would be someone born in 1892 (age 44 in year 44^4, 1936).
FWIW, I’m one year too young to qualify for the age 45 in 2025 bit.
Yes, I sat down and played around in Excel until I figured this stuff out.
“My brother is a mechanical engineer…He is smart, but I’M the smartest one in that family.”
Must be an Electrical Engineer then.
For the third part, the person has to be alive today, so your answer won’t work.
I’ve heard the same thing that Acidman said from various sources, including my brother-in-law and a tech I work with. My brother-in-law was right, though; the engineer he was working with at the time didn’t know jack, but didn’t let that bother her. Sounds like Acidman worked with a few of that type also.
I’d say the correct answer is either infinity or 3. Could be wrong but who cares because I’m so stinking rich. I have to go now and buy another country for my collection. Alas and oh hum we uber powerful rich meglomaniacs never rest like you little people. Bawhahahahahahaha!
voice like Stewie from Family Guy
(addressed to Frank)
Curse you and your treacherous semantics!
Now bring me some pancakes and be quick about it!
Just curious: If you had an engineer, a doctor, and a college professor in the same room, who do you think would be the most egotistical?
Merrijane: The Professor with a PhD in Engineering.
Rather Curious about this, and I found a weird coincidence – A person born in 2184 will have this happen twice in their life – once at X^7 and once at X^3 (ages 3 and 13, respectively).
Wow. No not the STRANGE COINCIDENCE (cue Twilight Zone Theme). No, I’m simply amazed at how much free time I have!
so lonely….
You silly ronins! Engineers ARE smarter than everybody else! Many, however, lack the sense to apply their knowledge to practical situations — this is particularly true of electrical and aerospace engineers. Mechanical Engineers balance being the smartest with having the most common sense. Nuclear engineers are the second smartest, but they have zero political or public relations skills. As for electrical engineers, well, you can’t spell gEEk without EE. And the only difference between mechanical and civil engineers during wartimes? MEs build weapons, CEs build targets…
As someone who has worked for numerous engineering firms (Everything from industrial to architectual – a total of 6 so far) I can say engineers seem to run the full spectrum of the political realm. I would say engineers that I worked with were about 60% Republican / Conservative / Libertarian, and the rest were either liberals or independants. My favorite was a mechanical engineer who used to work on nuclear power plants, who was a big time liberal.
When I pulled in to work with my brand new black 1999 Chevy Suburban,
http://www.scottesanburn.org/vehicles/my-suburban.jpg
and went into the office, this engineer said to me, I can see why a family of 9 would need a Suburban, Scott, but why do you have one? and I replied, just to annoy you! : ) A truly great moment. : )
civil engineering being the oldest engineering profession is the ultimatum among all eng. they have the greatest knowledge in mechanics and other applications of science. Civil engineers are the smartest and mechanicals are and will always be under our shadow
I am sorry but it is true
QUOTE:
Just curious: If you had an engineer, a doctor, and a college professor in the same room, who do you think would be the most egotistical?
Posted by Merrijane at March 31, 2004 06:43 PM
Easy: The engineer!
A doctor is a “Human Repairman” and the college prof could have an ARTS degree! (Ho Ho)
As an engineer I think I just proved this 🙂
Dear Civil (really?) engineers.
You are currently using a computer so…
All your base belong to us Electronic and Mechanical engineers!
🙂