Absurd

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(C)Copyright 2015, C. Burke.

The word "surd" is an absurd word.

For anyone who doesn't know what a "surd" is, I was one of you just a few weeks ago. I began brushing up on the Algebra 2 curriculum, in case I need to teach it in the fall, and I came across a page dedicated to the topic Surds.

Surds are just another name for radical numbers, particularly those that are irrational so the radical sign cannot be removed.

I checked with my son (the recent contributor and university student), and he hadn't heard the term. And then, a few days ago, a colleague in England, whom I follow on Twitter, posted some problems. The first response was "Surds! I love that topic!"

I admitted that I'd only recently heard that word, and the commenter asked, "Then what do you call them?"

The original poster responded, "Radicals!", so at least that term is known on the other side of the Pond.




Come back often for more funny math and geeky comics.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4

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(C)Copyright 2015, C. Burke.

8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -- I couldn't fit these in the comic ...

This was originally going to be a "mini" comic, but then I realize that I hadn't used these guys a lot lately.
Unfortunately, that meant the comic was going to be much bigger because these guys are wider than a font.

Retro Math TV

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(C)Copyright 2014, C. Burke.

The 90s version, The Rad Squad, wasn't as successful.

Oscar and Fivex appeared together in another classic show.

You know how those numeric actors always like to work in pairs.

Interesting (to me) Trivia!: This is comic #888 and it's appearing on 7/28/14, a day of sevens! Not that this was planned, my Internet was actually out for a day or so last week, and I wasn't feeling all that great anyway....

A Rational Approach

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(C)Copyright 2014, C. Burke.

Not only will he come between them, he'll come right in the middle of them, exactly. (2 and 3, that is. Rad 5 doesn't count.)

Suggested/predicted by William Ricker, although I will say it was kinda/sorta planned along this way in the first place.

Radical Approach

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(C)Copyright 2014, C. Burke.

Or maybe "The Radical Approacheth"?

Oh, c'mon! Like you didn't see the joke in the title before you even clicked!

May the Fourth

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(C)Copyright 2014, C. Burke.

Princess Threea and Luke Fivewalker, in case you were wondering.

This seems to be a bigger deal every year, so i figured I couldn't ignore it and keep my geek cred.
Frankly, before maybe five years ago, I hadn't really heard the pun. Don't know where it started or when it really caught on.
It was a clue on Jeopardy! a few years ago, so that's where I'd start looking.

Also check out Lucas Numbers, Movie Night and, of course, Hamlet II: Claudius Strikes Back.

BASE Jump

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(C)Copyright 2011, C. Burke. All rights reserved.

Update: 11/16/21: Welcome to all the Daily Maths people who found this page from a link on the calendar puzzle! Thank you for stopping by! I see you!

Remember, kids, don't try this at home! Well, I guess you really can't try this at home unless you live in a really tall building or have a cliff in your backyard . . .

(C)Copyright 2011, C. Burke. All rights reserved. Remember, kids, don't try this at home! Well, I guess you really can't try this at home unless you live in a really tall building or have a cliff in your backyard . . .

The Law of Fives

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(C)Copyright 2010, C. Burke. All rights reserved.


THAT'S the POWER of FIVES!



And, of course, 1 and 4 have been buddies since Client No. 9, while 2 and 3 have been friends since the first comic.

The Odd Couple, episode 2

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(C)Copyright 2009, C. Burke. All rights reserved.


He's getting back to his roots.

These two first appeared last year on November 13, naturally.

The Odd Couple

(C)Copyright 2008, C. Burke. All rights reserved.


The TV series has never been off the air since its original 1970-75 run.
The quote, however, is based on one from the
movie, which makes Fivex a bit of a Lemmon.