Thread: Microsoft Math question

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    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    Microsoft Math question

    So, I'm in collage now and trying the Microsoft Math trial thingy and damn I'm loving it!
    Anyways, I'm not very experienced at the thing so I'm having some issues, but the most important one and the one I hoped you guys could answer is types or comments ...

    What I want is to be able to define my values as a type, (kg, km, light years, ect.) is this possible or is there away around so that I can atleast look up what type it is?
    Thanks in advance
    Currently research OpenGL

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    I have never heard of Microsoft Math, but what exactly are you talking about?

    kg, km, light years are all units, of mass, length, and length, respectively.

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    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    yeah, but I want to use Microsoft Math for collage, just work almost completely off the computer instead of paper and pen, some old timers might not like that, but I still want it, so the issue is to represent values in Microsoft Math as specific units, to say what values they are so that you can keep track... let me give you a example

    2.3 + 5.6 = ?

    this is what I can do so far, but what if the book clearly says

    2.3g + 5.6kg = ?

    yet if the math is long, I can easily get confused and since the types are not shown I could make a nasty mistake ...
    Currently research OpenGL

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    We usually convert numbers to the same units before doing arithmetics with them.

    btw, use it for college? I just looked it up and it seems to be more like a graphing calculator with math tutorials, instead of a note taking thing. It only goes up to precalculus, too. First year college math is usually differential and integral calculus, and linear algebra. At least for sciences and engineering.

    Just go with a textbook and whatever you want to take notes with (pen and paper, tablet PC...). It's impractical to take notes or do derivations on the keyboard. Think about big fractions, subscripts, superscripts, weird symbols... way faster to just write.

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    it supports tablet so it's not way faster Also, it adds excitement to collage and it's actually quite super awesome! :O
    Seriously, it does it all and I either have to pay for a new calc or just buy MS Math and the calc that I need to get is about ... 5 times as expensive over here
    Currently research OpenGL

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    5 times as expensive over here
    5 times as expensive as a tablet PC?

    For tablet PCs, there are many good (some free) note taking programs. Onenote, Evernote...
    I had a tablet, but never used it for note-taking. But that's because I don't take any notes at all.

    Many professors don't like laptops in lectures, too. Probably because a front row guy watching porn on his 17" laptop is a bit distracting for those behind him.

    For my university (and first year courses), we weren't allowed to use ANY calculator (not even a $10 one) on quizes and tests. Even if we did, laptops probably won't be allowed (it wasn't allowed on our open-book tests), and you'll need to get a calculator either way.

    Laptop note taking is silly. Tablet note taking is an impractical but plausible idea IMHO (I have tried it myself. If I am to start taking notes some time, it will probably be on paper. Don't be afraid to try old ideas).
    Last edited by cyberfish; 08-27-2009 at 07:22 AM.

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    *Ahem* But usually you aren't allowed to have notes on a test, laptop or no.
    I'm actually thinking of taking notes with a camera. What better way?
    Quote Originally Posted by Adak View Post
    io.h certainly IS included in some modern compilers. It is no longer part of the standard for C, but it is nevertheless, included in the very latest Pelles C versions.
    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    You mean it's included as a crutch to help ancient programmers limp along without them having to relearn too much.

    Outside of your DOS world, your header file is meaningless.

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    *Ahem* But usually you aren't allowed to have notes on a test, laptop or no.
    In some tests, you are allowed to have a calculator, but not a laptop.

    I'm actually thinking of taking notes with a camera. What better way?
    haha good idea. No random access, though, unless you index them in some way, and create a TOC. Most profs post their notes online, though, which is really cool.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cyberfish View Post
    In some tests, you are allowed to have a calculator, but not a laptop.
    Absolutely, but that's a tool, not some notes.
    But I suppose that sometimes you might need some sort of table or formula, and it would not be prudent to have those on a laptop since they can... cheat.
    But usually, in tests, you are given the things you need (excluding calculators), formulas and tables and that sort of stuff.
    Quote Originally Posted by Adak View Post
    io.h certainly IS included in some modern compilers. It is no longer part of the standard for C, but it is nevertheless, included in the very latest Pelles C versions.
    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    You mean it's included as a crutch to help ancient programmers limp along without them having to relearn too much.

    Outside of your DOS world, your header file is meaningless.

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    Well, he said that he wouldn't need a calculator if he has a laptop.

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    Ah, I must have missed that. Well, it's not a bad idea, but it's probably best to check if a laptop will be allowed on tests first.
    Quote Originally Posted by Adak View Post
    io.h certainly IS included in some modern compilers. It is no longer part of the standard for C, but it is nevertheless, included in the very latest Pelles C versions.
    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    You mean it's included as a crutch to help ancient programmers limp along without them having to relearn too much.

    Outside of your DOS world, your header file is meaningless.

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    Probably not, unless they can disable the campus wifi in the room temporarily. Even then, people can still set up ad-hoc networks (or bluetooth, or even infrared)... If I do all those things on the Linux command line, I doubt the invigilator will be able to tell .

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    There are lots of ways to cheat--even with calculators. There's no way to "disable" all types of cheating. They have to draw the line somewhere.
    Quote Originally Posted by Adak View Post
    io.h certainly IS included in some modern compilers. It is no longer part of the standard for C, but it is nevertheless, included in the very latest Pelles C versions.
    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    You mean it's included as a crutch to help ancient programmers limp along without them having to relearn too much.

    Outside of your DOS world, your header file is meaningless.

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    True, but for calculators, they can just clear the flash memory at the beginning (that's what they do for many big tests), and they restrict calculator models to only those that don't have wireless communication capabilities (calculators connected by cables may look a bit too obvious...).

    You can't really format everyone's harddrives prior to a test, even if you can take care of the array of wireless communication capabilities in modern laptops.

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    And what if they have sensitive data and stuff stored in there? I know I have at least one algorithm stored in my calculator. I wouldn't want that lost.
    That's the same as formatting the hard drive.
    But this is the first time I've heard anyone do such a thing.
    Quote Originally Posted by Adak View Post
    io.h certainly IS included in some modern compilers. It is no longer part of the standard for C, but it is nevertheless, included in the very latest Pelles C versions.
    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    You mean it's included as a crutch to help ancient programmers limp along without them having to relearn too much.

    Outside of your DOS world, your header file is meaningless.

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