You ever see a dog that’s got its leash tangled the long way round a table leg, and it just cannot grasp what the problem is or how to fix it? It can see all the components laid out in front of it, but it’s never going to make the connection.

Obviously some dog breeds are smarter than others, ditto individual dogs - but you get the concept.

Is there an equivalent for humans? What ridiculously simple concept would have aliens facetentacling as they see us stumble around and utterly fail to reason about it?

  • 0x4E4F
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    1 year ago

    Yep, it’s called math.

    I was generally surprised at how many people can’t do simple math without a calc, like multiply 7 x 8.

    • MimicJar@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Of all the multiplication you had to pick 7 x 8. I hate 7 x 8.

      I memorized in 3rd grade or whatever my multiple tables, but I never trust 7 x 8.

      7 x 8 = 56

      1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 5, 6, 9 ?

      No. That’s wrong. After 7 comes 8. After 8 comes 5. No, it goes 5, 6, 7, 8.

      If I could visualize it as,

      56 = 7 x 8

      I’d be fine, but I can’t see it that way.

      No I have to take it as 7 x 7 (49) + 7 (1 + 6), to get 56.

      Shit. I hope that makes sense to someone.

      • 0x4E4F
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        1 year ago

        I memorized in 3rd grade or whatever my multiple tables, but I never trust 7 x 8.

        Lol, that’s why I picked it 😂. I hate 7 x 8 as well 😂.

        No I have to take it as 7 x 7 (49) + 7 (1 + 6), to get 56.

        That’s how I do it as well 😂, 7 x 7 + 7, I never remebered 56 😂. Or 8 x 8 - 8, either way works for me 😂.