Comments on: Fermi Problems http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/ Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:11:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Angie http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-129652 Angie Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:13:11 +0000 http://www.shambot.com/?p=1981#comment-129652 Not only do I find the math problems fascinating, I also have a long history to working weird problems like this out visually. I think it'd be cool for our more visually inclined shamboties to provide visual descriptions of the cool math problems that we're all (and by all I mean Patrick) going to be posting now! :) Not only do I find the math problems fascinating, I also have a long history to working weird problems like this out visually. I think it’d be cool for our more visually inclined shamboties to provide visual descriptions of the cool math problems that we’re all (and by all I mean Patrick) going to be posting now! :)

]]> By: Patrick http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-129154 Patrick Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:19:22 +0000 http://www.shambot.com/?p=1981#comment-129154 Yeah I am pretty sure you could realistically fit 100,000 dollars in a briefcase. Using a calculator this time; this (http://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Aluminum-Computer-Attache-Silver/dp/B00008S83F/ref=pd_bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1221667512&sr=8-7) briefcase could fit around 1.3 million dollars in hundreds. But even then, you would need around 65,000 suitcases to hold 85 billion dollars we would be sending to AIG. It all reminds me of a quote from Richard Feynman: "There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it's only a hundred billion. It's less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers." And he said that nearly 40 years BEFORE the Bush administration! Yeah I am pretty sure you could realistically fit 100,000 dollars in a briefcase. Using a calculator this time; this (http://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Aluminum-Computer-Attache-Silver/dp/B00008S83F/ref=pd_bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1221667512&sr=8-7) briefcase could fit around 1.3 million dollars in hundreds. But even then, you would need around 65,000 suitcases to hold 85 billion dollars we would be sending to AIG.

It all reminds me of a quote from Richard Feynman:
“There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it’s only a hundred billion. It’s less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.” And he said that nearly 40 years BEFORE the Bush administration!

]]> By: Ben http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-129151 Ben Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:51:23 +0000 http://www.shambot.com/?p=1981#comment-129151 Man, I always thought that I overestimated the volume of money, like in movies when they have $10,000 in $100 bills filling a briefcase. I guess $20s make it 5 times as voluminous, though. Aaaand $85 billion is a LOT of money... I like posts like this! You should definitely do more! Man, I always thought that I overestimated the volume of money, like in movies when they have $10,000 in $100 bills filling a briefcase. I guess $20s make it 5 times as voluminous, though. Aaaand $85 billion is a LOT of money…

I like posts like this! You should definitely do more!

]]> By: Emma http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-129150 Emma Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:42:28 +0000 http://www.shambot.com/?p=1981#comment-129150 I could never ever do something like what you just did, and I find it FASCINATING. more, plz. I could never ever do something like what you just did, and I find it FASCINATING.

more, plz.

]]> By: Bill http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-129149 Bill Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:22:10 +0000 http://www.shambot.com/?p=1981#comment-129149 I think we need more mathematics related posts here. Also, I like when people post news articles! I mean, I read BBC news sometimes and surf around, but I like to hear opinions and things. The article about estimation was pretty interesting. Do you sit around with friends and approximate? I think we need more mathematics related posts here.

Also, I like when people post news articles! I mean, I read BBC news sometimes and surf around, but I like to hear opinions and things.

The article about estimation was pretty interesting. Do you sit around with friends and approximate?

]]> By: Patrick http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-129148 Patrick Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:49:42 +0000 http://www.shambot.com/?p=1981#comment-129148 Also, looking online, it turns out that diesel cost 5 dollars last month, now it's only about 4 dollars. So i guess it would cost closer to $3440 to send the money. Also, looking online, it turns out that diesel cost 5 dollars last month, now it’s only about 4 dollars. So i guess it would cost closer to $3440 to send the money.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.shambot.com/crumleyp/2008-09-17/fermi-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-129147 Patrick Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:39:12 +0000 http://www.shambot.com/?p=1981#comment-129147 Just so people on the site know, I want to start doing science-related blogging. This is just a test if Shambot is the best place for this type of stuff, and if I can even make science-related posts interesting. Just so people on the site know, I want to start doing science-related blogging. This is just a test if Shambot is the best place for this type of stuff, and if I can even make science-related posts interesting.

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