What is Confused: Definition and 1000 Discussions

In medicine, confusion is the quality or state of being bewildered or unclear. The term "acute mental confusion" is often used interchangeably with delirium in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems and the Medical Subject Headings publications to describe the pathology. These refer to the loss of orientation, or the ability to place oneself correctly in the world by time, location and personal identity. Mental confusion is sometimes accompanied by disordered consciousness (the loss of linear thinking) and memory loss (the inability to correctly recall previous events or learn new material). The term is from Latin: confusĭo, -ōnis, from confundere: "to pour together", "to mingle together", "to confuse".

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  1. G

    Schools Nearly free Graduate School - I'm Confused

    Some of my TA are like 23 year old people who are graduate students. One of them said that when they applied for graduate school he had a hard time getting in because they were looking for foreign students but he got in. He said they gave him money just for like going to graduate school or...
  2. S

    Really easy PDE, confused about how to put in side conditions

    Hey, before you read this over I'll mention that I've checked the general solution and it works. So if you don't feel like following my steps to get the general solution just jump down to the end of my attempt, because the real problem for me is figuring out what to do with the side conditions...
  3. G

    Girl Reaches 99.9% of Train's Speed Despite Time Slowing Down

    I was watching a vid with Mr Hawking talking about a train (fictional) that gets to 99.9 C. and the little girl gets up and runs forward. "as time in the train has slowed down. her momentum is not added to that of the trains speed. So she never reaches C" A. trains %99.9 of C B. time inside...
  4. T

    Confused about the True Geometric Meaning of a Dot Product Answer.

    I have performed numerous calculations of dot products throughout my math courses, but I think I lack a fundamental understanding of what it actually means, beyond the abstract way I have been taught to deal with them. I know the definitions (it's the inner product, or the projection of A on to...
  5. J

    Slightly confused about potential energy in an electrostatic field

    Hi everyone, I don't know how I manage it but I've gone and confused myself about something which I was fairly confident about right before an exam... again! So here's the deal. Let's imagine two particles A and B which have charge Q and q respectively and are separated by a distance r (I...
  6. I

    Programs Choosing the Right Major: Geology, Anthropology, or Zoology?

    I am interesting in geology, anthropology and zoology. Which of these has better job prospects, considering that I'm willing to get a Masters and PhD if required? Also, which major is better for understanding human evolution, zoology or anthropology? And is it possible to switch from Biotech...
  7. B

    Confused About Manual Calculation of r & θ

    i tried evaluating this http://www4a.wolframalpha.com/Calculate/MSP/MSP47881a005158fa72fi31000026df4f1iaf7g05e7?MSPStoreType=image/gif&s=49&w=109&h=39 and the correct answer r = 1.1147 and theta = 75.9 however, i tried to do it manually and ended with this...
  8. F

    What Are the Elements of the Quotient Group D4/N?

    Homework Statement Let D4 = { (1)(2)(3)(4) , (13)(24) , (1234) , (1432) , (14)(23) , (12)(34) , (13), (24) } and N=<(13)(24)> which is a normal subgroup of d4 . List the elements of d4/N . Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I computed the left and right cosets to...
  9. conquest

    Book on Curvature wrong or am I confused

    Hi, I was doing some exercises from the book on curvature by Lee to buff up my differential geometry. I came a cross the following question and it seems to me the question isn't completely correct, but I'm not so good at differential geometry that I am confident. Maybe someone else is...
  10. W

    The way textbooks talk about stress tensor confused me

    In fluid dynamics, always when some textbook talks about stress tensor, there is a figure like this: http://www.fea-optimization.com/ETBX/hooke_help_files/stress.gif it shows how stress tensor is defined based on a small cubic volume. I kind of understand why the shear stress τxz should be...
  11. M

    How Do You Calculate the Initial Speeds of Two Electrons in a Collision?

    Homework Statement Two electrons separated by a large distance are fired directly at each other. The closest approach in this head-on collision is 4.0 * 10-14 m. One electron starts with twice the speed of the other. Assuming there is no deflection from the original path, determine the initial...
  12. F

    Very confused about path of light from distant galaxies :-(

    Hello there! Sorry for the dumb question, but for years I have been very curious and confused about this: I just read that they discovered a galaxy 13.7 Bn light-years away -- therefore its light was emitted 13.7 Bn years ago and traveled 13.7 Bn light-years in some line. But, 13.7 Bn years...
  13. PrincePhoenix

    Confused about time dilation. (Just got introduced to relativity))

    I just got my first official introduction to relativity in my textbook (I'm equivalent to a high school senior student). It is part of a chapter on modern physics.It first mentions the two basic postulates and then briefly introduces what length contraction, time dilation, increase in mass...
  14. J

    Confused About (-1)^{2/6}: Get Help Here

    Hi guys I was wondering after reading some other stuff on the web.. How much is (-1)^{2/6} It is (-1)^{\frac{2}{6}}=(-1)^{\frac{1}{3}}=\sqrt[3]{-1}=-1 OR (-1)^{\frac{2}{6}}=\sqrt[6]{(-1)^2}=\sqrt[6]{1}=1 I'm really confused with this... Any suggestions? Thanks João
  15. A

    Are You Confused About Work-Energy vs. Impulse-Momentum?

    Recently I have been having issues knowing when to use the work energy principal vs. impulse momentum or using F=ma and integration. I seem to default with all problems to integrating work done over a path but then messing it up or that not being the proper approach. The issue seems to be...
  16. D

    To keep a long story short, I'm confused.

    And now for the long story. I'm a first time poster, long time reader. A little bit about me, I am in my third year of undergrad studying way too many subjects yet not studying at all. I have jumped from philosophy, to physics, to bio, to economics, and now math. During this time...
  17. C

    How Do You Calculate the Period of SHM from a Cosine Function?

    Homework Statement A 2.30 kg mass on a spring has displacement as a function of time given by the equation x(t) = (7.40 cm)cos[(4.16)t-2.42] a) Find the time for one complete vibration. The back of the book had this same equation but a different mass, so I was able to figure out...
  18. J

    What Is the Probability That Three Men Will Take the Same Driving Test?

    Homework Statement What is the probability the 3 men take the same test? A driving exam has 5 different written driving tests to give to drivers. Two women and three men take the test. What is the probability of each event? a) the 3 men take the same test b) exactly 3 people take the same...
  19. H

    Uniform Convergence of fn(x) for x in (1, infinity)

    What is the value of \lim\limits_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sup \left\{\frac{n}{x^n}:x\in\left( 1; \infty\right)\right\} It seems to be 0, but what if x = 1+\frac{1}{n}? In that case x^n = e and the above limit is then +\infty, isn't it? I have a feeling I'm somehow wrong, but if I'm not, for what x...
  20. T

    How Do Stability and Linearity Determine System Behavior?

    confused!..system stability and linearity 1)-Is y(n)=cos{x(n)} a stable system?? and is the condition s=Ʃ|h(k)|<∞ for stability valid only for LTI systems? actually my book solves the given problem using the above method..but according to me the given system is not LTI SINCE ZERO I/P...
  21. S

    Confused about Laurent series of analytic functions

    I am a bit confused about laurent series. I know the definitions where the coefficients are expressed as integrals. However, I am confused about how to actually find the laurent series in practice, for analytic functions. The information I can find online is just terrible, some of them do solve...
  22. K

    Why is it confusing to determine whether sets form subspaces in ℝ2?

    Homework Statement Determine whether the following sets form subspaces of ℝ2: (a) {(x1, x2)T | x1 + x2 = 0} (b) {(x1, x2)T | x1 * x2 = 0}Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I know that a is a subspace and b is not, but I would like to know why. For part A, I let x=[c, -c]T ∂[c,-c]=...
  23. X

    Confused about this Optics problems Solution

    Homework Statement The Lick Observatory has one of the largest refracting telescopes, with an aperture diameter of 36 in. and a focal length of 56 ft. Determine the radii of the first, second, and third bright rings surrounding the Airy disc in the diffraction pattern formed by a star on the...
  24. N

    Confused about voltage induced across inductors

    Confused about voltage induced across inductors :( Hi, As you may have gathered from the topic title, I'm rather confused about inductors :rolleyes: I have another topic going regarding boost converter design, which involves an inductor, but as this confusion/question/observation is really...
  25. B

    Confused between architecture, engineering or sciences

    OK, so let me start from the beginning... Ive always loved Maths and Physics and I've always got really good grades in olevel and alevel. However i was never sure what i wanted to do. i ended up choosing architecture since it looked cool and involved maths and physics. However i got to know...
  26. D

    Virtual Work-very confused about the sign conventions

    The problem statement is "each of the four uniform links has a mass m. determine the horizontal force P required to hold them in place in the vertical plane as shown." I attached the solution, but I don't get when a force causes a +/- virtual work.
  27. N

    Confused about transistor saturation region

    Confused about transistor "saturation" region I don't understand why the saturation region is called the saturation region. Take a look at the graph below: According to that graph, the "saturation" region is where the current changes most rapidly, which is the exact opposite of the...
  28. B

    Confused about electron spin (stern gerlach experiment)

    Here is a diagram to help understand what I'm talking about: My textbook had a similar diagram that depicted the beam traveling between the two magnets as hydrogen atoms. Here is how my textbook describes it: "When a beam of atoms that have one or more lone electrons passes through a...
  29. Dembadon

    Confused with the use of the word smooth .

    Confused with the use of the word "smooth". [Multi-Variable Calc course] A couple weeks ago we went over the Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals, which requires "smooth" simple connected curves. My professor's definition of smooth was a curve having "no corners". Now, with Green's Theorem...
  30. L

    Confused about integral of f'(x)/f(x)

    A fraction obviously stays the same if you multiply top and bottom by the same constant. If you integrate two equal functions, surely you should get the same answer? By applying the rule in the title, you can get different answers. I'm very confused. Example: 2x/x^2=6x/3x^2 The integral of...
  31. M

    Vector addition and subtraction. feeling stupid for being confused over this

    Homework Statement A = 2i + 3j B = -5i + 6j Calculate (draw vector diagram) A + B A - B Homework Equations actually we're just confused as to whether we need to use the angles to answer this or just answer it directly, meaning that for A + B the answer would be -3i + 9j The...
  32. Z

    Confused about specialization

    I'm being asked to choose my specialization in ME (for the last 2 years of the BEng) and I'm not sure what to take--I LOVE EVERYTHING. The options are: (a) Thermo-fluids and propulsion (b) Design, manufacturing and materials science (c) Mechatronics Although I didn't like E and M too...
  33. D

    Time Dilation - Relative to Light Speed or Reference Point - I'm Confused?

    Hi, I've been listening to a Professor Jim Al-Khalil's scipod on time travel. I think this guy is bloody excellent by the way. http://reader.mac.com/mobile/v1/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jimal-khalili.com%2Fpodcast%2Fjim.rss Anyway, He said to an observer on the Earth a clock on a...
  34. M

    How Much Would You Weigh in Space Versus on the Moon?

    F = Gmm'/r^2 Does this explain the sum or total gravitational force between two bodies?
  35. F

    Continuous deformation? Family of curves? So confused

    I understand the concept behind continuous deformations. Say we have two curves ζ1 and ζ2 from A to B on some domain D and say that Pdx + Qdy is closed. Say we can show n points A=c1,c2,...,cn=B and A=d1,d2,d3,...,dn=B, so that we can first say follow the curve ζ1 from A to c1 then over to...
  36. J

    Confused by Feynman sum over histories

    This seems to contradict the very tools we use to perform the scientific method. Immediately after performing any experiment, the measurement becomes a historical event, and this says that we cannot say that any historical event has actually occurred. Thus, I cannot actually say that I...
  37. B

    Confused about electric field/velocity/magnetic field vectors

    So E=vB and {E}={v}cross{B} but if I have for instance v=5j and B=-1k, then E is in the positive i direction. Shouldn't it be in the negative direction? Thanks.
  38. C

    Slightly confused regarding centripetal force, radius and frequency

    Homework Statement Hello everybody, I have a question that is tied into my lab report regarding centripetal force. The question asks if the frequency of rotation were to increase how would the radius r and the centripetal force change? Homework Equations 2\pif = v/r rearrange for...
  39. S

    Why Is the Chain Rule Necessary for Differentiating Functions Like e^sqrt(x)?

    Just some general questions as I'm confused with when to use chain rule when not to. For instance, to find the derivative of e^sqrt(x), the right answer is to use chain rule to get e^sqrtx*the derivative of sqrt(x). BUT, isn't there a formula that: d/dx K^x = In(K)*K^x? K for constant and x...
  40. 1

    I am so confused, water displaced by a boat

    Homework Statement A boat floating in fresh water displaces water weighing 34.7 kN. (a) What is the weight of the water that this boat displaces when floating in salt water of density 1.10 x 10^3 kg/m3? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I am utterly confused. They...
  41. J

    Marginal cost- i've never done these types of problems before and very confused

    Homework Statement suppose that the dollar cost of producing x washing machines is c(x)= 2000 + 100x-0.1x6^2 a) find the average cost of producing 100 washing machines. b) find the marginal cost when 100 washing machines are produced. Homework Equations c(x)= 2000 + 100x-0.1x6^2: the...
  42. D

    Big O Notation: Better Approximation than o

    While discussing Taylor's theorem, my professor pointed out that for n=2, Taylor's Theorem says: f(x) = f(x_{0}) + f'(x_{0})(x - x_{0}) + O(|x - x_{0}|^{2}) He then emphasized that O(|x - x_{0}|^{2}) is a much better approximation than o(|x - x_{0}|). But how is O(|x - x_{0}|^{2}) a...
  43. S

    Am I Cut Out for a Math Major? Experiencing Doubts and Confusion as a Sophomore

    I'm a sophomore math major. I've always liked math, and started college with a double major in chem and math, but now I have decided to drop chem and focus on math. I'm taking calc 3, proofs, and linear algebra ( not the proof-based one) this semester. However, these past days I have had some...
  44. C

    Confused on recieving just one K value for elongation and oscilliation

    Confused on receiving just one K value for elongation and oscillation Homework Statement Ok. For lab, I had to place 5 different masses on a spring and calculate its initial and final position. I did this with a small, medium and large spring. Then after I gathered my values, I made a...
  45. S

    I'm confused by this problem. Is the answer 1 or 0 OR 1/2? If the

    I'm confused by this problem. Is the answer 1 or 0 OR 1/2? If the series is upto n, then the answer is 1 if the number is odd and 0 if even. If you assume that the answer is x, then 1-x = x and the answer is 1/2. Is the answer 1 or 0 OR 1/2? or simply indeterminate?
  46. G

    Confused About Tensor Density Behaviour

    \nabla_a[(-g)^{\frac{1}{2}}T^a] = T^a\nabla_a[(-g)^{\frac{1}{2}}]+(-g)^{\frac{1}{2}}\nabla_aT^a I just realized that I don't quite understand how a tensor density behaves when multiplied by a vector. I'm trying to find some clues in D'Inverno's book but I'm getting more confused. Thanks in...
  47. O

    Approximate solution to DE - confused

    Homework Statement This is a problem from an old exam I am reviewing for practice. Find a good approximation, for x large and positive to the solution of the following equation: y''-(3/x)y'+(15/(4x^2)+x^(1/2))y=0 Hint: remove first derivative term Homework Equations The...
  48. U

    How Do Progressive Waves Transfer Energy Through Mediums Like Water?

    Homework Statement I know that progressive waves are waves moving through a medium causing disturbance, transmitting energy. However, I'm confused over some concepts: 1)When the source emits out energy in the form of waves, if it passes through a medium such as water, the energy moves at v...
  49. D

    A confused international undergraduate applicant - .

    Hello, I'm a high school senior from Turkey,and I will be applying to US (and possibly Canadian) institutions this year. Ok, this post is going to be a bit long,but as an international applicant,I have many questions about the admissions process even after hours of Googling,and I'm hoping that...
  50. J

    What Are Emission and Absorption in Physics?

    emission and absorption?? confused! hiii, I am just wondering if anybody can give me a very simple definition of each of the two terms, and what the main difference is. Is emission when a wave enters a denser medium (from air to water)? and absorption when a wave enters a medium of lower...
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