Destruction of Symmetry

Why are the methods that make sense always the ones that are wrong or not preferred? We learned two methods of solving a constraints problem: the straight-forward way and the Lagrange method. Guess which one I like? Guess which one the math professor likes? Here's a hint: math professors never like anything called "straight forward." If it doesn't have a half dozen back-traces, loops, and logical qualifiers, it's just not a good way of doing things. So what's this evil method? OK, imagine a functional relation like volume of a box (xyz) subject to a maximum surface area (S). This is a function of 3 variables (x, y, z), and we want a maximum volume. Take your constraint condition(s), and add it to the original equation, adding at least one more variable to the problem (from a proportionality constant that has to be there). Then take partial derivatives. All of them. Solve. All of them. Multiply 2 x 2 and get 2. Rinse. Repeat. Your mileage may vary. Not recommended for those with high blood pressure, women who are pregnant or may be pregnant, or anyone without a Ph.D. in mathematics. Consult your doctor.

Study time was useful in that work was done. We probably spent too much time on one particular problem and so didn't finish everything that we might have. The Superfriends, as Lee calls us, then went to the school cafeteria for lunch. I had ham and baked apples and some other things. All was good, nothing as great. After lunch, we all walked back to the office, got our stuff and headed to the other class we all have together.

Inviscid was Dr. Vakili going over problems that he'd been meaning to go over for weeks now. When he tried to move on, I reminded him that he was going to cover an example from the homework set, and I chose the hardest one. That took the rest of the class, and then it was freedom for another day.

I watched Smallville, then CSI. We got Jimmy Olsen ("James") and the Superman logo (the thing on his chest) tonight, and maybe his Supermomma. I was hoping for a vision quest with Bo Duke, but it was not to be. I'm really looking forward to this recap from Television Without Pity. Omar is going to have a field day. More tomorrow.