Does anyone know what this picture on an AP Physics t-shirt means?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the interpretation of a t-shirt featuring three otters in a cardboard box with the text "Yo?" which is speculated to represent "Y sub o" in a mathematical context. Participants explore various meanings, including the Spanish translation of "Yo" as "I," and the mathematical significance of subscripts. There are playful debates about whether the animals depicted are actually otters or possibly moles, with suggestions that the phrase could imply "Why not?" or "think outside the box." The conversation highlights the humorous and creative interpretations of the shirt's imagery and text, with a focus on the potential connections to both physics and chemistry.
Physics news on Phys.org
Hunter Hammonds said:
I found this picture on an AP Physics t-shirt years ago and always wanted to know what it meant. Thanks.

Erg, I can't get the picture to load but the shirt is a picture of three otters in a cardboard box and on the outside of the box it says "Yo?" Like Y sub o? Any help is appreciated.
 
I think I can make a little sense of it. "Yo" is Spanish for "I" (me). In math and physics, "Y" sub "o" means "Y" subscript "o" (## Y_o ##). (Physics and math use a lot of subscripts, e.g. ## r_o ##, ## g_o ## , and these would be called "r" sub "o" and "g" sub "o", etc.). "Yo" can also be an exclamation, so the "Yo" has multiple meanings. The 3rd meaning, the mathematical one, is "Y" sub "o".
 
Last edited:
The link gives me an error, but, yeah Charles' deduction makes sense...aw, I want to see the shirt now.
 
  • Like
Likes davenn
ProfuselyQuarky said:
The link gives me an error, but, yeah Charles deduction makes sense...aw, I want to see the shirt now.
I got a similar error. This has my curiosity=yes, I would also enjoy seeing the shirt.
 
Charles Link said:
I got a similar error. This has my curiosity=yes, I would also enjoy seeing the shirt.
Yo quiero ver la camiseta !

(sorry I couldn't help myself)
 
  • Like
Likes Charles Link
let's see if this helps any.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6089.JPG
    IMG_6089.JPG
    29.1 KB · Views: 601
  • Like
Likes ProfuselyQuarky and Charles Link
three otters in a cardboard box and on the outside of the box it says "Yo?" Like Y sub o? Any help is appreciated.

I am suspecting they are not otters but rather moles or as a play on words mols, in chemistry
I'm no a chemist so cannot put the rest of it together

with that info, some one else may do so
Dave
 
Perhaps it's to be read, "Why not?" In some drawls this sounds like Y nought? (Y zero)
 
  • #10
As NascentOxygen points out in English Y0 would typically be pronounced "why not".

I suspect someone was trying to draw skinks not otters. A skink is a type of lizard.

So the picture would have a meaning along the lines of "Why not skink (think) outside the box?"
 
  • #11
Otters mistaken for skinks? That's quite a stretch! :smile:

Looking
otter = outa
the box
---Why not?


Or perhaps otter = oughta (ought to)
Oughta look outside the box. Why not?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes ProfuselyQuarky and davenn
  • #12
NascentOxygen said:
Otters mistaken for skinks? That's quite a stretch? :smile:

uh huh ... more likely otters or moles never seen a lizard looking like that

NascentOxygen said:
why not?
look
otter = outa
the box
worthy translation :smile:
D
 
  • Like
Likes ProfuselyQuarky
  • #13
Why not Gopher it?



Or, how about, "Why not un-SEAL the box?"
 
  • Like
Likes ProfuselyQuarky

Similar threads

Replies
14
Views
13K
Replies
5
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
2K
Replies
34
Views
6K
Replies
5
Views
22K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
23
Views
2K
Back
Top