Deified

Because there are indistinguishable objects it works somewhat like a combination. The formula (I think) for indistinguishable permutations is n!/x! where x is the number of indistinguishable objects. You are taking away the permutations that look the same. eg: xxy xyx yxx Its 3!/2!=3 not 3!=6 because xxy and xxy are the same even if the x's switch.

Because there are indistinguishable objects it works somewhat like a combination. The formula (I think) for indistinguishable permutations is n!/x! where x is the number of indistinguishable objects. You are taking away the permutations that look the same. eg: xxy xyx yxx Its 3!/2!=3 not 3!=6 because xxy and xxy are the same even if the x's switch.

Well the formula I used was (n-1)!/x!*y! Where x and y the numbers of alike objects(indistinguishable). It is supposed to tell me how many possible different orders of particles I can have in a circle. One of the permutations would be an alternating pattern.

Well the formula I used was (n-1)!/x!*y! Where x and y the numbers of alike objects(indistinguishable). It is supposed to tell me how many possible different orders of particles I can have in a circle. One of the permutations would be an alternating pattern.

Can no one help?

Can no one help?

250-500 years? The computer memory and processing power to store and simulate an entire individual brain will be available in the next 50 years or so. This will mean that the only requirement for immortality is remembering to backup often enough. Granted, this will not be a foolproof or affordable technology for sometime after its creation, but I think the figure of 250-500 is inaccurate. Some people might question whether this is truly living or not, that remains up for discussion. And yes I do realize that this was a little off topic but oh well.

250-500 years? The computer memory and processing power to store and simulate an entire individual brain will be available in the next 50 years or so. This will mean that the only requirement for immortality is remembering to backup often enough. Granted, this will not be a foolproof or affordable technology for sometime after its creation, but I think the figure of 250-500 is inaccurate. Some people might question whether this is truly living or not, that remains up for discussion. And yes I do realize that this was a little off topic but oh well.

I came across a bit of a snag when I was working with permutations of things in a circle. The problem is that I have 8 particles, 4 negative, 4 positive(the particles are indistinguishable except by their charge) arranged in a circle. When I asked the question how many ways can I reorder these particles? I came up some interesting results. According to the formula I was taught: (8-1)!/4!*4! But this equals 8.75 permutations! Is this a special case? Is the formula wrong? Please help me out!

I came across a bit of a snag when I was working with permutations of things in a circle. The problem is that I have 8 particles, 4 negative, 4 positive(the particles are indistinguishable except by their charge) arranged in a circle. When I asked the question how many ways can I reorder these particles? I came up some interesting results. According to the formula I was taught: (8-1)!/4!*4! But this equals 8.75 permutations! Is this a special case? Is the formula wrong? Please help me out!

Ich gehe zu Privatschule in Massachusetts.

Ich gehe zu Privatschule in Massachusetts.

Space: Cannot be nothing, because Quantum Mechanics has showed us that "nothingness" has energy. There is no such thing as nothingness in our universe. Space is not nothing because it can curve, and in a sense it DOES have an end. We think our universe is a 4-sphere(correct me if I'm wrong) so if we tried to reach the end of space it would be like an ant trying to reach the edge of a beach ball.

Ich bin auch ein Anfanger in Highschule(?). Ich wirklich mag Quantum Mechanik und Biochemistrie. Gehen sie in eine privat schule?

Have you read The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov? In that book they have a society that functions without currency, but everyone is not entirely equal. Government officials, respected scientists etc. have nicer apartments and private bathrooms and so on. Resources are all provided by the government and everyone works according to their abilities/desires, if they don't work they get lowered in social status. This is much more effective in this book because virtually no one lives outside the walls of the major cities. Everyone lives, eats and works in close proximity to one another making the enforcement much more effective. Oh, yea and they have robots who do a lot of work.

Mark McCutcheon has shown he can sell books by appealing to the scientifically illiterate and apathetic, not by displaying a good understanding of physics.

Meine Deutsche ist nicht fabelhaft, aber es ist gut genug. Bist du ein Neuling in Universita"t oder andere? Ich bin auch ein Neuling.

I am glad to see that the members here have already done a thorough debunking of this theory. Now I can rest easy.

Achilles and Agamemnon were both fighting for the Greeks in the Iliad. Or did you mean metaphorically?

I'm sorry, I downloaded the free first chapter and read it, but I too felt that the arguments being presented reminded me too strongly of those presented by "Intelligent Design" proponents. The author says things like: Newton gave us an accurate description of gravity without explaining it. Einstein came up with a "fanciful" theory to explain it. Isn't it strange that we have two explanations for the same effect? His very argument is inconsistent. And he says things like, Scientists obviously don't believe in their own theories because they continue to explore and try to understand more.

OT: What level of German are you taking? It's so rare to find american students studying the language that I always try to strike up some dialogue whenever I meet one of them.

Im not sure if it is a permanent fixture or not. But on the front page of this site there is a Goolgle ad for "The Final Theory" and I was wondering if anyone actually believes this crap and if so who? I just skimmed a few paragraphs from the site and I felt like screaming. this is the site I checked the claim that this book is a science bestseller at Amazon.com and I found that it is NOT. I feel slightly comforted now that I know that Brian Greene's great books are bestsellers. I thought I had drastically underestimated the worlds stupidity, but I am happy to learn that I have not. Still, any thoughts on the subject?