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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
The idea of Found Objects is pretty simple: I post some sort of visual representation of an object, equation, theory or idea that inspired or made its way into a book, film, song, poem, or painting.
Your job is to name it and tell us where it’s found. The last three have all been from books, and today’s is no different, except that I think it might be the hardest yet. Starting next week, I promise to move on to another category, like poetry, perhaps. In the meantime, enjoy the one found below, which is from a work of fiction. Name the object, the book and the author, please.
Comments (14)
Comment
In The Magazine
quadratic equasion
principia mathematica
pythagoras
posted by sandi on 10-19-2006 at 7:26 am
Obviously, that is the quadratic formula. It was mentioned in “The Center of Everything” by Laura Moriarty, but only in passing and not in this explicit form.
posted by Jeff on 10-19-2006 at 8:15 am
The object is the quadratic equation. Among others, the Persian mathemetician Omar Khayyam developed formulas to solve quadratic equations. Is the book in question his most well-known work, The Rubaiyat?
posted by Jef on 10-19-2006 at 9:59 am
It’s a work of fiction, is it? How about “Martin Eden” by Jack London, which mentions quadratic equations. Also, London’s “The Sea Wolf” makes reference to Omar Khayyam, whose work in mathematics involved solving quadratic equations.
posted by Jef on 10-19-2006 at 10:08 am
Quadratic formula
The Fractal Murders
Mark Cohen
posted by Daniel on 10-19-2006 at 10:11 am
I haven’t read The Fractal Murders, but I’ll take your word for it, Daniel. Sounds like a good read, actually.
The novel I’m looking for actually reproduced the equation, just as I have in the post.
Anyone know the book? Anyone? Anyone? (Bueller?)
posted by David on 10-19-2006 at 11:20 am
Gravity’s Rainbow by Pynchon?
posted by John on 10-19-2006 at 11:34 am
‘The Roots’
By Alex Haley
posted by Nilanjan Biswas on 10-19-2006 at 12:13 pm
Advanced Algebra for Dummies by I. M. Anherd.
posted by DW on 10-19-2006 at 1:44 pm
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Haddon?
posted by Bueller on 10-19-2006 at 1:46 pm
I’m feeling kind of silly, but I could swear I just saw that equation a few months ago in the novel The Davinci Code. Not the golden ration, but something to do with the Fibonacci series, perhaps.
posted by Jamie on 10-19-2006 at 1:50 pm
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Thank you Mr. Bueller for not only reading Mark Haddon’s brilliant novel, but remembering the reproduction of the quadratic equation!
As for The Davinci Code, or any other work of fiction that reproduced the equation, we’d love to hear about it. Maybe there are more… do you have a page number?
posted by David on 10-19-2006 at 2:11 pm
Is it, by chance, from “A Stitch in Time”?
posted by mark on 10-19-2006 at 3:39 pm
I just want to add the appearance of the quadratic equation in a song by a favorite band of mine. they were a ska band from florida called skankin’ pickle. firmly showing that punk can be smart!
posted by Brickfoot on 10-21-2006 at 6:27 pm