Getting started with geographical coordinates

[Bob Sneidar]

[ALERT: Waxing Philosophical]

I wholeheartedly agree. These people UNDERSTOOD Mathematics. This was a big problem for me as a child. I failed 6th grade math and had to go to summer school to pass, partly because I was lazy and wouldn’t do my home work, but also because I would sit in class and try to figure the nature of a problem, rather than just memorize the formulas. All the teachers wanted us to do was memorize things and pass quizzes.

When I got to Algebra however, I got 2 Bs, a C+ and the rest As, mainly because I had an AWESOME teacher who would take the time during and after class to explain to us the nature of what we were learning. Geometry, pretty much the same. As a radar technician in the navy, some degree of Calculus became essential.

Once I caught on, I realized that Mathematics was really a kind of numerical language for defining aspects of this 3 dimensional nature we call The Universe. If you have enough time, you can use Mathematics to define anything that exists, at least to whatever degree of resolution is required. That made sense to me, and I could see how it could be applied to great effect in any number of ways, so that got me hooked.

The problems I had with Mathematics still plagues me with Software Development. I fall into a trap sometimes of trying to see the whole picture, when what I really need to do at that moment is focus on a single aspect of what I am doing. It’s gotten a lot better though with time. I’ve learned to push aside that nagging urge to step back and work out the entire problem, and instead just get done what i’m presently on.

Mathematics, like Software Development, is exacting. Get any part of the equation wrong, and the result will be wrong. C.S. Lewis applies this principle to understanding why it is we sometimes need to think again about our world view. Once we see that the way we thought about some important aspect life was incorrect or misguided, it won’t do to continue on, simply because we want to continue to "make progress.”

He writes that while on a journey, once you have discovered you have taken a wrong turn, it isn’t progress at all to continue on the path you are on. You will never get to your desired destination. There’s nothing for it but to turn around and go back to where you went wrong, and begin again.

Bob S




On Apr 4, 2020, at 7:47 AM, Ralph DiMola via use-livecode <use-livecode at lists.runrev.com<mailto:use-livecode at lists.runrev.com>> wrote:

The girls and boys doing math in that period really set the stage. This
brought me back to my CGI days when I was patting myself on the back when I
self learned(with a friends help after reading the Kreyszig) how to move
points in space and calculate lighting.  I then self reflected and realized
that I was just putting together the pieces of math that these folks created
out of thin air. I still felt like I accomplished something but very much
smaller the scheme of things.

Ralph DiMola
IT Director
Evergreen Information Services
rdimola at evergreeninfo.net<mailto:rdimola at evergreeninfo.net>