Silliness Quiz - Page 744

Shayne Parkinson · 03-11-2013, 12:17 AM

That actually makes sense.

You're giving Mr Recorde a little too much credit, by the way.

Bookpossum · 03-11-2013, 03:31 AM

Was it the use of "x"?

Was he French or Belgian? (I'm assuming you haven't changed the spelling of his given name, eg from Roberto to Robert.)

Shayne Parkinson · 03-11-2013, 04:59 AM

No, not "x", but a good suggestion! Clue: you almost certainly encountered this invention even earlier than you did the use of "x".

Not French or Belgian, and I haven't changed the spelling of his name.

I'm about to head for bed. Further clues in the morning if necessary.

Billi · 03-11-2013, 07:23 AM

The plus sign? Using the cross for adition?

Or, more general, all these signs, + - * : ?

orlok · 03-11-2013, 09:29 AM

Was it the " number" zero?

poohbear_nc · 03-11-2013, 09:48 AM

The infinity symbol: ∞?

orlok · 03-11-2013, 10:11 AM

π? ......

Stitchawl · 03-11-2013, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

Was it the " number" zero?

I thought that 'zero' was invented by gambling casinos to make Roulette a guaranteed money-maker for the house. It sure got my money...

Stitchawl

orlok · 03-11-2013, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I thought that 'zero' was invented by gambling casinos to make Roulette a guaranteed money-maker for the house. It sure got my money...

Stitchawl

And don't you just love the later "innovation" of the double zero? That one really took the cake (and my cash).

Shayne Parkinson · 03-11-2013, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billi

The plus sign? Using the cross for adition?

Or, more general, all these signs, + - * : ?

You're very, very close, Billi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

Was it the " number" zero?

No, not that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

The infinity symbol: ∞?

Not that, either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

π? ......

Nor that.

orlok · 03-11-2013, 04:19 PM

Square root?

Bilbo1967 · 03-11-2013, 04:22 PM

Looking at Biili's very close guesses, it looks like = and / were missing. Is it one/both of those?

Shayne Parkinson · 03-11-2013, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Looking at Biili's very close guesses, it looks like = and / were missing. Is it one/both of those?

We have a winner! Specifically, the = sign. In his 1557 treatise The Whetstone of Witte, Robert Recorde introduced this sign thus:

Quote:

To avoide the tediouse repetition of these woordes: is equal to: I will sette as I doe often in woorke use, a paire of paralleles, or gemowe lines of one lengthe: bicause noe .2. thynges, can be moare equalle.

I came across a reference to this in New Scientist. I found it interesting that we have such a specific record of the introduction of something as fundamental as this.

Wikipedia also credits Recorde with inventing the + sign, but that appears quite a bit earlier in various German texts. Recorde does, however, appear to have been the first to use the + and - signs in a printed English text. The same Whetstone of Witte includes:

Quote:

There be other 2 signes in often use of which the first is made thus + and betokeneth more: the other is thus made - and betokeneth lesse.

Recorde's country of birth was Wales. Fbone got the date, Bilbo has the symbol. Have at it, gentlemen.

Billi · 03-11-2013, 05:58 PM

It's interesting and surprising that the equal sign has been "invented" this late. I would have thought that the old Greeks used it already. Nice question!

Shayne Parkinson · 03-11-2013, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billi

It's interesting and surprising that the equal sign has been "invented" this late. I would have thought that the old Greeks used it already.

Yes, I thought so too! It's only a few hundred years old.

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03-11-2013, 12:17 AM	#11146
Shayne Parkinson Author Posts: 1,532 Karma: 5447804 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab	That actually makes sense. You're giving Mr Recorde a little too much credit, by the way.

03-11-2013, 03:31 AM	#11147
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,146 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	Was it the use of "x"? Was he French or Belgian? (I'm assuming you haven't changed the spelling of his given name, eg from Roberto to Robert.)

03-11-2013, 04:59 AM	#11148
Shayne Parkinson Author Posts: 1,532 Karma: 5447804 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab	No, not "x", but a good suggestion! Clue: you almost certainly encountered this invention even earlier than you did the use of "x". Not French or Belgian, and I haven't changed the spelling of his name. I'm about to head for bed. Further clues in the morning if necessary.

03-11-2013, 07:23 AM	#11149
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	The plus sign? Using the cross for adition? Or, more general, all these signs, + - * : ?

03-11-2013, 09:29 AM	#11150
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	Was it the " number" zero?

03-11-2013, 09:48 AM	#11151
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 63,618 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	The infinity symbol: ∞?

03-11-2013, 10:11 AM	#11152
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	π? ......

03-11-2013, 04:19 PM	#11156
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	Square root?

03-11-2013, 04:22 PM	#11157
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	Looking at Biili's very close guesses, it looks like = and / were missing. Is it one/both of those?

03-11-2013, 05:58 PM	#11159
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	It's interesting and surprising that the equal sign has been "invented" this late. I would have thought that the old Greeks used it already. Nice question!

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