[QUOTE=xilman;319302]Surely the answer to the question of the smallest factor is "1" and to the largest is "MM127".

If you don't ask for prime factors there's no good reason that the answer gives primes.[/QUOTE]

He specifically said "easiest way to find the smallest factor". Clearly, division mm127/mm127 is not the easiest way, since the assertion "1 is the smallest factor" has been proven generally. Call me nitpicky, but if y'all nitpick back, at least pick nits about the question which was actually posed.

Getting back on-topic...

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Fun with homophonic dyslexia:

Q: What is a discrete convolution?
A: A discrete convolution is a convolution which doesn't kiss and tell.

Q: You didn't hear anything I've told you, have you?
A: What a strange way to start a conversation!

[QUOTE=ewmayer;319353]He specifically said "easiest way to find the smallest factor". Clearly, division mm127/mm127 is not the easiest way, since the assertion "1 is the smallest factor" has been proven generally. Call me nitpicky, but if y'all nitpick back, at least pick nits about the question which was actually posed.[/QUOTE]Very well, I'll re-write my answer as: the easiest way is to count the thumbs on one hand.

[QUOTE=xilman;319386][QUOTE=ewmayer;319353]He specifically said "easiest way to find the smallest factor". Clearly, division mm127/mm127 is not the easiest way, since the assertion "1 is the smallest factor" has been proven generally. Call me nitpicky, but if y'all nitpick back, at least pick nits about the question which was actually posed.[/QUOTE]Very well, I'll re-write my answer as: the easiest way is to count the thumbs on one hand.[/QUOTE]It might well be easy but not necessarily accurate for everyone. Assumes the person counting has at least one hand. Assumes the person counting has an equal number thumbs on each hand. Assumes the person counting has more than zero, and less than two, thumbs on each hand.

Haha, this reminds me of one of my professors who had a split nail, no idea if he was born with it or came from some accident, but it was really looking like two fingers stuck together longitudinally. Once he was showing a demonstration of some theorem at the board, and when he finished he said with some satisfaction "the solution is unique", lifting that finger. We all students, like idiots we were, burst out laughing. No one in the class passes the exam that winter, and we had to try it again in the summer.

Q: What is the difference between a FUQ and a Frequently Unquestioned Answers forum?

A: ?

[QUOTE=retina;319390]It might well be easy but not necessarily accurate for everyone. Assumes the person counting has at least one hand. Assumes the person counting has an equal number thumbs on each hand. Assumes the person counting has more than zero, and less than two, thumbs on each hand.[/QUOTE]Fair enough. Substitute "a typical human hand".

The "canonical human hand"?

I know this is an old topic, but I found some new unanswered questions:

Q: How will humanity ever become perfect?
A: How would we ever do that without breaking the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics?

And this one (has to do with Poincare Recurrence Theorem and infinite space):

Q: How in our entire universe could you find at least 100 living Velociraptors (a type of dinosaur thought to be extinct) without dying yourself?
A: How would you explore the entire infinite universe (in your lifetime) in order to even do that?