Comments (13)

1. What about a reference to Gutenberg’s invention and the slogan can be “Start the Presses”

   posted by Jason Parkis on 1-9-2009 at 10:59 am

2. call me a nerd, but the derive drunk one is mathmatically incorrect. the equation on the shirt is the quadratic equation, not the equation for derivitives! i understand that derive can also just mean solving an equation but as far as mental floss shirts go and their audience of unique minds i expected a little more scientic acccuracy… sorry

   posted by Allyson on 1-9-2009 at 11:51 am

3. From the Oxford American Dictionary definition of ‘derive’:

   (MATHEMATICS) – to obtain a function or equation from another by a sequence of logical steps

   I think you’re being a little too nit-picky. Then again, I was an English major who satisfied the math requirements with two basic computer science classes so I probably shouldn’t be the judge and jury on this one.

   posted by Linda on 1-9-2009 at 12:08 pm

4. As long as someone else has noted a problem with the “derive drunk” design, I’ll also point out that “x=” should not be above the horizontal line — it should be to the left of the line. As shown, it doesn’t make sense.

   posted by Jeff on 1-9-2009 at 12:42 pm

5. Personally, I think all of the errors in the mathematical equation make it all the more humerous. It’s telling you not to derive drunk, guys… having the mistakes makes it perfect!

   posted by Ophelia on 1-9-2009 at 12:57 pm

6. I am thinking that these mistakes you’re writing about is the point of NOT deriving drunk!

   posted by Julie on 1-9-2009 at 1:08 pm

7. Wow Allyson…

   Are you THAT anally retentive? Its a T-Shirt, not a textbook… sorry.

   posted by Kate on 1-9-2009 at 4:35 pm

8. It always amuses me that no matter how smart they are, people still act like two year olds towards each other. Come on guys, let’s be nice.

   posted by Lu on 1-9-2009 at 4:56 pm

9. Allyson, the math one IS mathematically correct… You can derive things without taking the derivative. Deriving something only implies finding its meaning. You are mistaking the word “derive” for “differentiate.”

   posted by Adam on 1-9-2009 at 5:39 pm

10. Is there a contest for the family with the most shirts? So far my 11 year old has 3, my husband has 4 and I bought 2 for Christmas presents.

    And if they came in v-neck sizes for fat moms, I’d buy a few more.

    posted by Karen on 1-10-2009 at 10:06 am

11. Using the equation on the math shirt will get the factors (i.e. the same equation, just simplified into a form for finding intercepts), not the derivative (i.e. an new equation meant for finding slope, minimum/maximum values, direction and points of infleciton). The true definition of the derivative is “A measurement of how the function changes when the input changes,” which basically means the slope of a function. So both are used to find a functions meaning, but they are completely different concepts.

    posted by Phill on 1-11-2009 at 6:08 pm

12. Nope, Phil. Adam had it right, the verb form of finding the “derivative” of an equation is actually “to differentiate”. To derive something is to mathematically prove it. For example, the above equation is the end result of the derivation of the quadratic formula.

    posted by Sam on 1-11-2009 at 11:39 pm

13. I believe that I am correct. For example, if you have:
    x^2 – 2x – 3 =0
    then the quadratic equation on the shirt gives you:
    (x – 3)*(x + 1) = 0
    but if you find the derivative then you will get:
    2x – 2
    Thus, the quadratic formula is not used to derive equations.

    posted by Phill (again) on 1-12-2009 at 9:44 pm

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