# Here's a bit of a challenge for all you math whizzes

1. Oct 2, 2006

### rhymeswithpurpl

So my dad gave me this problem because he likes to bother me:

Explain why this is funny:

click on it to see a big picture since it won't let me do it this way :/

Does anyone get the joke?

2. Oct 2, 2006

### nealh149

You canceled out the x and it doesn't work?

3. Oct 2, 2006

### Swapnil

I don't get it.

4. Oct 2, 2006

### CRGreathouse

$$\lim_{x\rightarrow0}\frac{\sin x}{x}=\lim_{x\rightarrow0}\frac{n\sin x}{nx}=\lim_{x\rightarrow0}\frac{n\sin\!\!\!\!-x\!\!\!\!-}{n\!\!\!\!-x\!\!\!\!-}=nsi$$

I think this joke is usually told so that an "n" cancels, changing sin x to six.

5. Oct 3, 2006

### Office_Shredder

Staff Emeritus
This response is much funnier than the original joke

6. Oct 3, 2006

### rsd

some variations of that joke, i guess.

7. Oct 3, 2006

### chroot

Staff Emeritus
Yes. The Meta-Joke (tm), which occurs when it becomes obvious that the joke-teller doesn't get his own joke.

- Warren

8. Oct 3, 2006

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
"nsi" is National Science Institute?

9. Oct 4, 2006

### jpr0

A joke along similar lines...

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10. Oct 4, 2006

### fivestar

that one is cool

11. Oct 5, 2006

### CRGreathouse

Although I can't thinl of a way to LaTeX it, short of using METAFONT.

12. Oct 5, 2006

### Robokapp

I laughed and tipped my fish bowl all over my dorm floor lol.

13. Oct 5, 2006

### 3trQN

Heh i was looking for something along those lines, but i was thinking national security inspectorate...

14. Oct 5, 2006

### yenchin

Oh No! Did the fish die? :uhh:

15. Oct 6, 2006

### J77

There was a thread called "Math is fun" a while ago by Equilibrium with a load of these.

If the punchline to the OP is NSI, that's a pretty crap joke - even by maths standards.

16. Oct 6, 2006

### jpr0

Q: What's the value of a contour integral around Western Europe?
A: Zero, because all the Poles are in Eastern Europe.

17. Oct 6, 2006

### J77

What's purple and commutes?

18. Oct 6, 2006

### CRGreathouse

What's purple, commutes, and has a limited number of worshippers?

19. Oct 6, 2006

### jpr0

20. Oct 7, 2006

### Robokapp

bowl is shape of a sphere. Some water was left in because the hole went sidways. The fish flew out of the bowl though but no it didn't die :D

It sucks how you have to have an account to see it though, I'd love to share it with some friends but I'm too lazy to take and upload a screenshot of it...:surprised