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- - FUQs (https://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=17469)

In a previous life I was a coma-intainer of a site-wide FUQ list. It occurs to me that the MersenneForum is sadly lacking a FUQ list.

Most everyone nowadays know what a FAQ is. A FUQ is closely related: a Frequently Unanswered Question. A FUQ, like a FAQ, consists of a couplet of a question followed by an answer. The response must be a correct answer to the question but should be perversely useless. Rather like some FAQs seen on the net in other words.

The first FUQ on a list is usually the following. It gives a concise example of the genre but other forms are also to be found.

Q: What is a FAQ?
A: A FAQ is a TLA.

More examples welcomed.

Could a FUQ be:

Q: Where do I find the next Mersenne prime?
A: Among the Mersenne numbers with prime exponent.

Quantum physics says both yes AND no.

Here's one:

Q: Is MM127 prime?
A: The answer is both "yes" and "no" simultaneously until we successfully LL-test it (according to the "Schrodinger's Cat" theory). Hopefully they'll prove/disprove its primality by 2070 (They better or I'm not going to be very happy!).

[QUOTE=xilman;319108]In a previous life I was a coma-intainer a site-wide FUQ list. It occurs to me that the MersenneForum is sadly lacking a FUQ list.

Most everyone nowadays know what a FAQ is. A FUQ is closely related: a Frequently Unanswered Question. A FUQ, like a FAQ, consists of a couplet of a question followed by an answer. The response must be a correct answer to the question but should be perversely useless. Rather like some FAQs seen on the net in other words.

The first FUQ on a list is usually the following. It gives a concise example of the genre but other forms are also to be found.

Q: What is a FAQ?
A: A FAQ is a TLA.

More examples welcomed.[/QUOTE]

so basically it's one that never gets answered because all the answer gives you is another question ? this one means is a FAQ ( frequently asked question) is a TLA ( triple letter acronym). so until they know what that is they have no answer to the question ?

[QUOTE=aketilander;319109]Could a FUQ be:

Q: Where do I find the next Mersenne prime?
A: Among the Mersenne numbers with prime exponent.[/QUOTE]Good one!

This kind of RadioYerevan/Q&A/"jokes" like "Q: Can you take a bath when you have diarrhea? A: Yes, if you have enough (this sounds better in Romanian language, due to language puns)", are/were [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Yerevan_jokes"]very popular in East-European culture[/URL] during the communist era. I have thousands somewhere on a corner of harddisk, have to look for them if you are interested.

[QUOTE=Stargate38;319110]Here's one:

Q: Is MM127 prime?
[/QUOTE]

With a small difference and in such mathmatical forum:

Q: Is MM127 prime or not?
A: Yes.

[QUOTE=kar_bon;319155]With a small difference and in such mathmatical forum:

Q: Is MM127 prime or not?
A: Yes.[/QUOTE]

In this context, the answer could be taken to mean that it _is_ prime. Instead, a better one would be, A: Correct (or True).

I am with axn here. The correct version would be:

Q: is MM127 prime or composite?
A: yes

Q: Can [I]I [/I]run Prime 95 on this computer?
A: The CPU is better suited to perform that task.

[QUOTE=LaurV;319158]I am with axn here. The correct version would be:

Q: is MM127 prime or composite?
A: yes[/QUOTE]I agree. Another nice entry for the FUQ list.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;319111]so basically it's one that never gets answered because all the answer gives you is another question ? this one means is a FAQ ( frequently asked question) is a TLA ( triple letter acronym). so until they know what that is they have no answer to the question ?[/QUOTE]Strictly speaking (and one should always speak strictly, especially to animals and small children) a TLA is a three letter abbreviation. It's not an acronym because it's not generally spoken as a word but rather as a sequence of letters.

Neither is the response a question, strictly speaking. It's an assertion. Of course, it should raise the question in the reader's mind: what does that mean?

[QUOTE=xilman;319172]Strictly speaking (and one should always speak strictly, especially to animals and small children) a TLA is a three letter abbreviation. It's not an acronym because it's not generally spoken as a word but rather as a sequence of letters.

Neither is the response a question, strictly speaking. It's an assertion. Of course, it should raise the question in the reader's mind: what does that mean?[/QUOTE]

I mean that the response begs another question so:

Q: What is a FAQ?
A: A FAQ is a TLA.

needs to know what a TLA is or ask another question

Q:what's a TLA ?
A:...

so until you get answers down to the level you know you ask questions.

Q:what's a PDA
A:a PDA is a PIM

Q. Is science_man_88 trying to alter Paul's definition of a FUQ this afternoon?

A. That depends on which time zone you are in.

[QUOTE=Dubslow;319185]Many acronyms are pronounced as the letters themselves, and I've never heard anyone try to actually pronounce an abbrv. So I would definitely say it's an acronym.[/QUOTE]I, and many dictionaries, disagree with you. An acronym is a word, not a list of letters, the latter being an initialism.

For instance: [url]http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acronym[/url]

Chambers English dictionary: A word formed from the initial letters of another word, as [i]radar[/i].

This one defines an acronym nicely and also indicates the difference between an acronym and an initialism.

[url]http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/acronym.html[/url]

Paul

[QUOTE=xilman;319190]I, and many dictionaries, disagree with you. An acronym is a word, not a list of letters, the latter being an initialism.

For instance: [url]http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acronym[/url]

Chambers English dictionary: A word formed from the initial letters of another word, as [i]radar[/i].

This one defines an acronym nicely and also indicates the difference between an acronym and an initialism.

[url]http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/acronym.html[/url]

Paul[/QUOTE]

Debatable, and also probably partially due to our locations vis-à-vis the pond. Wikipedia contains [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronym#cite_note-WDEU-3"]this quote[/URL] from Merriam-Webster (an American dictionary):
[quote]^ Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, 1994. ISBN 0-87779-132-5. pp. 21–2:

[B]acronyms[/B]
A number of commentators (as Copperud 1970, Janis 1984, Howard 1984) believe that acronyms can be differentiated from other abbreviations in being pronounceable as words. Dictionaries, however, do not make this distinction because [U]writers in general do not[/U]:
[quote]
"The powder metallurgy industry has officially adopted the acronym 'P/M Parts'" —Precision Metal Molding, January 1966.
"Users of the term acronym make no distinction between those pronounced as words … and those pronounced as a series of characters" —Jean Praninskas, Trade Name Creation, 1968.
"It is not J.C.B.'s fault that its name, let alone its acronym, is not a household word among European scholars" —Times Literary Supp. 5 February 1970.
"… the confusion in the Pentagon about abbreviations and acronyms—words formed from the first letters of other words" —Bernard Weinraub., N.Y. Times, 11 December 1978[/quote]
Pyles & Algeo 1970 divide acronyms into "initialisms", which consists of initial letters pronounced with the letter names, and "word acronyms", which are pronounced as words. [U]Initialism, an older word than acronym, seems to be too little known to the general public to serve as the customary term standing in contrast with acronym in a narrow sense.[/U][/quote]
Emphasis my own of course.

In either case, I would still argue that acronym is more appropriate for TLA than abbreviation, even if initialism is more appropriate than acronym.

[QUOTE=Dubslow;319192]Debatable, and also probably partially due to our locations vis-à-vis the pond. Wikipedia contains [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronym#cite_note-WDEU-3"]this quote[/URL] from Merriam-Webster:

Emphasis my own of course.

In either case, I would still argue that acronym is more appropriate for TLA than abbreviation, even if initialism is more appropriate than acronym.[/QUOTE]In that case, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage is demonstrably wrong. Dictionaries do make the distinction and I gave Chambers as an explicit example. Another is [URL="https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&tab=cw#hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcqn%2Cfixedpos%3Dfalse%2Cboost_normal%3D40%2Cboost_high%3D40%2Ccconf%3D1.2%2Cmin_length%3D2%2Crate_low%3D0.035%2Crate_high%3D0.035%2Csecond_pass%3Dfalse%2Cignore_bad_origquery%3Dtrue&gs_nf=3&tok=AkZ8ucvlzeO8J6wELH0pOg&cp=14&gs_id=1i&xhr=t&q=definition+acronym&pf=p&tbo=d&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=definition+acr&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=a9839ca5d1a9866a&bpcl=38897761&biw=1158&bih=950"]Google's dictionary[/URL]:

[QUOTE=xilman;319195]In that case, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage is demonstrably wrong. Dictionaries do make the distinction and I gave Chambers as an explicit example. Another is [URL="https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&tab=cw#hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcqn%2Cfixedpos%3Dfalse%2Cboost_normal%3D40%2Cboost_high%3D40%2Ccconf%3D1.2%2Cmin_length%3D2%2Crate_low%3D0.035%2Crate_high%3D0.035%2Csecond_pass%3Dfalse%2Cignore_bad_origquery%3Dtrue&gs_nf=3&tok=AkZ8ucvlzeO8J6wELH0pOg&cp=14&gs_id=1i&xhr=t&q=definition+acronym&pf=p&tbo=d&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=definition+acr&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=a9839ca5d1a9866a&bpcl=38897761&biw=1158&bih=950"]Google's dictionary[/URL]:[/QUOTE]

1) It's from 1992, so at the time it may have been right.

2) I'm not sure that Chambers/Google do make the distinction. The only distinction is how they are pronounced, which is not addressed in either definition.

3) To be super pedantic, it also depends on what your definition of a word is: Google's definition of "word" does not seem to exclude something like "TLA".

4) Regardless of the dictionaries and definitions, I would still argue that common use takes precedent over what some scholar says, and in my experience at least, the distinction is not made and acronym is an all encompassing word.

Q: What will happen if (when) I (my computer) find(s) a Mersenne prime?

A1: Your computer will make a beeping sound.
A2: Your computer will report the result to Primenet server.
A3: Your computer will move on to the next assignment.

[QUOTE=axn;319206]A1: Your computer will make a beeping sound.
[/QUOTE]
:tu: :rofl: genial!

Q: What's so special about Mersenne primes?
A: They are prime.

Q: Where would you go to obtain a degree in Frequently Unanswered Questions?
A: FUQ U.

Q: Which is the easiest way to find the smallest factor of MM127?
A: If you divide MM127 by its largest factor you get the smallest one.

Yes, yes, but

Q: Which is the easiest way to find the largest factor of MM127 then?
A: If you divide MM127 by its smallest factor you get the largest one.

[QUOTE=aketilander;319254]Q: Which is the easiest way to find the smallest factor of MM127?
A: If you divide MM127 by its largest factor you get the smallest one.[/QUOTE]

That answer is unhelpful, but alas also incorrect. If you're gonna try to be a wisecracking math nerd, let's at least try to get the "math" part right.

[QUOTE=ewmayer;319255]That answer is unhelpful, but alas also incorrect. If you're gonna try to be a wisecracking math nerd, let's at least try to get the "math" part right.[/QUOTE]

He didn't say prime factor.

Q: Is FUQ an acronym?
A: Yes, you just pronounce wrongly if you think that it isn't.

[QUOTE=Batalov;319261]Q: Is FUQ an acronym?
A: Yes, you just pronounce wrongly if you think that it isn't.[/QUOTE]

for some things I can make arguments to support almost all of them:

US - [B]U[/B]nited [B]S[/B]tates uses the initial components therefore it's an acronym.
US - 2 letters is shorter than the phrase United States therefore it's abbreviated.
US - is pronounced you ess therefore it's an initialism.

[QUOTE=Dubslow;319258]He didn't say prime factor.[/QUOTE]

Even if you allow trivial factors (units), the answer is incorrect, because in that case no division is needed, ergo, n/n is not the easiest method to determine "1 is the smallest factor."

Q: What is the largest known Mersenne Prime?
A: [FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="7"][B]383,813,432,499,006,567,940,128,890,939,479,244,323,108,485,896,276,588,430,
953,410,742,355,843,709,083,268,647,257,603,685,755,576,432,496,460,615,685,
892,047,540,436,050,783,692,197,618,658,469,334,121,647,320,471,115,721,375,
248,270,317,298,667,413,885,986,449,190,158,090,512,335,150,379,099,138,100,
399,341,203,804,418,312,058,222,344,749,422,138,096,126,080,879,556,199,432,
215,607,580,443,235,372,610,748,457,708,282,406,189,424,477,174,777,113,454,
219,808,060,304,360,551,617,506,661,245,722,772,351,081,365,361,727,184,008,
626,088,629,774,354,996,912,827,427,281,440,499,049,041,576,203,884,943,192,
684,055,274,941,226,777,713,166,180,704,666,821,661,836,801,599,842,400,753,
555,093,087,939,266,058,092,079,721,697,481,135,174,876,099,183,086,089,790,
629,407,423,499,734,806,185,565,774,380,559,034,010,741,081,512,897,186,784,
805,572,791,197,369,300,268,870,813,900,049,338,389,921,638,224,295,056,714,
454,461,080,883,077,807,756,965,827,409,720,772,505,579,006,260,134,743,029,
388,552,109,572,978,472,439,362,850,714,479,000,235,563,466,922,422,958,721,
089,708,044,663,530,770,968,705,926,840,629,602,574,038,878,388,019,643,087,
612,154,542,045,854,056,540,307,708,459,709,457,315,384,451,564,164,605,205,
270,347,685,697,223,630,493,582,980,421,459,157,794,627,274,676,372,969,627,
024,586,966,924,583,596,405,274,772,819,815,023,538,365,497,746,159,407,402,
985,071,118,486,658,167,977,572,127,791,170,262,993,219,890,667,610,079,861,
523,980,477,699,432,277,250,429,236,731,648,600,517,593,596,727,079,745,602,
454,212,291,388,785,176,078,858,827,536,463,762,779,568,183,706,158,015,662,
514,847,337,685,511,498,075,355,876,317,986,401,027,049,498,458,565,149,532,
973,850,630,135,737,935,365,629,302,924,513,786,786,790,048,323,898,387,186,
548,565,789,758,323,840,386,330,350,805,678,311,661,668,819,487,046,836,628,
773,473,937,016,550,119,694,407,061,934,853,709,391,595,540,848,339,141,339,
562,398,906,165,273,984,800,788,818,476,319,559,628,933,135,045,358,340,071,
467,340,560,718,311,395,257,226,930,060,643,910,945,656,036,369,014,077,650,
204,164,190,957,719,318,064,249,345,069,695,340,774,396,275,899,114,532,813,
398,922,449,231,049,778,114,423,636,491,611,546,062,143,098,016,974,892,361,
181,519,602,676,387,589,608,583,130,651,079,418,394,594,608,733,721,969,897,
698,445,638,959,666,319,946,906,799,294,895,905,987,977,542,184,749,636,726,
284,838,213,133,381,329,103,265,901,431,056,460,552,198,636,544,027,401,553,
454,807,878,800,184,142,237,016,521,674,068,629,539,425,061,540,842,782,875,
150,560,689,263,853,914,174,686,005,311,659,555,581,738,240,293,348,748,829,

[/B][/SIZE][/FONT]... about 12,990,000 digits omitted ...
[SIZE="7"][FONT="Arial Black"][B]
323,407,016,904,361,567,830,071,903,864,774,025,053,110,416,058,196,613,094,
955,975,938,646,943,935,868,918,070,331,493,906,952,648,137,040,131,776,876,
617,048,593,668,262,064,355,033,910,881,815,180,390,172,026,755,646,024,616,
292,382,095,077,590,437,283,901,447,376,690,022,059,384,426,012,317,066,470,
869,219,431,716,650,112,928,272,984,986,766,711,153,567,816,275,152,979,164,
095,829,371,015,762,137,396,597,011,478,852,348,390,912,559,489,818,282,738,
968,950,167,570,795,214,904,673,318,119,873,008,821,144,416,485,117,736,637,
857,677,256,745,414,900,875,611,573,647,476,701,957,643,919,018,828,440,864,
502,237,922,399,137,620,765,025,029,842,960,684,566,478,184,186,295,826,842,
176,642,765,569,430,727,356,490,843,321,204,080,673,041,832,409,292,321,256,
473,393,054,163,052,562,677,186,472,932,611,674,915,953,762,775,681,860,718,
344,200,812,283,592,457,228,276,494,237,728,350,079,708,203,994,133,082,241,
122,428,064,338,995,461,866,304,675,718,496,548,231,972,190,297,045,880,784,
602,723,892,342,115,444,666,061,861,323,183,061,628,128,599,178,345,795,855,
842,535,790,162,490,072,640,446,613,394,996,868,613,163,476,358,679,998,295,
299,773,365,530,104,569,990,320,265,165,950,818,584,330,799,633,194,879,082,
107,324,671,463,310,241,490,844,169,471,553,737,186,369,429,039,740,581,101,
437,085,295,841,668,755,965,295,719,562,756,490,892,782,340,880,618,661,898,
096,373,325,757,836,773,347,585,401,925,192,699,075,006,554,224,142,624,622,
496,528,066,203,551,994,607,613,352,629,652,207,841,081,187,910,944,890,001,
347,799,242,529,651,814,976,836,499,386,884,436,740,886,482,060,071,811,247,
195,055,834,237,819,299,529,361,603,857,982,876,694,283,713,487,077,345,966,
071,752,419,187,855,462,571,406,254,141,153,816,257,055,830,669,911,757,580,
578,130,117,482,432,420,773,774,182,394,588,863,556,244,159,286,199,960,971,
633,075,808,799,720,532,418,023,538,053,223,930,813,154,226,859,203,997,709,
827,864,816,482,556,850,482,259,244,709,671,812,783,672,945,207,080,368,686,
681,989,919,136,839,398,630,892,752,922,996,019,931,727,959,499,499,278,261,
551,073,595,058,617,592,414,485,386,136,580,144,759,430,664,480,366,929,021,
927,652,945,460,758,198,368,845,559,798,348,751,451,724,986,887,117,720,439,
699,831,873,617,287,862,100,837,823,233,230,951,842,294,296,030,070,567,199,
992,298,007,092,387,935,238,729,239,519,184,346,937,205,705,321,336,783,147,
175,457,370,001,250,409,386,578,171,959,528,363,408,498,182,657,250,786,621,
061,354,343,776,701,599,271,330,696,741,830,536,728,405,975,879,310,322,232,
884,089,571,261,924,085,953,345,494,389,359,969,480,734,463,427,854,035,178,
029,638,557,739,783,191,975,757,834,513,191,054,026,456,831,798,884,100,961,
745,858,147,564,135,579,451,423,635,640,324,015,693,851,107,848,340,143,659,
980,859,152,957,957,769,618,358,876,620,706,317,087,046,890,306,756,554,210,
896,922,945,816,621,337,556,613,038,865,299,577,948,126,980,656,161,628,298,
198,351,118,519,099,092,491,544,322,265,943,134,328,733,883,245,223,322,398,
874,647,329,862,798,034,594,791,073,662,141,330,188,581,706,559,296,167,042,
534,319,308,624,902,004,819,175,768,368,940,447,452,704,045,515,892,705,866,
013,782,529,059,481,243,626,415,715,424,971,888,921,422,060,646,316,227,384,
770,595,485,347,796,909,912,379,093,117,319,885,826,335,271,442,487,911,387,
829,044,391,474,170,170,131,554,745,148,668,716,172,067,366,084,587,120,527,
911,056,138,208,628,250,085,078,689,583,240,026,503,830,818,875,647,011,635,
417,819,686,057,933,825,403,884,413,155,357,698,685,528,069,738,785,885,847,
826,062,333,404,936,391,813,190,649,774,467,455,107,758,215,674,366,699,100,
009,449,116,038,927,901,019,826,438,787,580,819,085,097,880,998,737,185,242,
341,476,910,108,138,153,543,109,600,862,645,698,288,150,028,915,618,208,718,
584,066,018,471,077,955,485,243,207,870,569,918,423,143,412,240,417,712,466,
844,787,410,446,112,909,077,237,605,285,404,586,195,162,832,287,147,336,359,
371,709,349,225,095,343,297,985,989,250,864,615,685,827,173,170,912,130,369,
670,411,425,654,775,456,661,213,444,008,893,938,440,208,637,935,579,812,804,
576,703,104,381,570,028,284,791,408,645,540,682,270,900,319,374,638,330,212,
617,619,257,530,273,381,792,685,640,663,644,941,081,560,241,621,991,495,148,
816,514,858,369,576,454,242,361,116,087,917,130,253,112,518,039,719,274,282,
410,297,382,765,224,671,870,696,751,152,669,091,368,834,472,557,470,336,653,
851,835,012,264,615,030,575,454,867,582,920,465,006,797,338,810,908,443,642,
509,416,434,832,300,992,043,624,407,560,473,334,927,793,351,095,485,038,546,
547,564,450,749,902,860,752,016,087,916,318,365,899,674,144,412,551,419,875,
521,864,601,575,008,775,313,808,092,746,030,737,771,474,827,460,376,120,421,
766,819,988,093,111,859,333,039,200,196,621,154,679,339,808,110,866,397,379,
683,252,712,153,466,703,793,325,615,982,237,697,515,059,757,948,693,128,688,
094,171,974,039,267,436,134,652,090,090,514,797,661,509,552,266,082,816,770,
859,186,062,158,287,951,177,386,802,987,626,023,010,652,739,182,295,541,392,
918,020,056,838,360,135,679,872,860,483,416,916,652,487,086,962,757,779,741,
806,708,471,114,811,595,228,196,181,682,379,446,066,996,833,600,335,035,579,
534,312,511,612,725,344,467,160,112,063,722,352,068,121,255,162,528,031,252,
563,906,005,692,627,824,649,052,422,502,206,934,159,709,803,688,308,998,372,
051,463,441,115,976,028,226,909,156,682,192,013,981,830,822,014,104,610,660,
911,290,342,036,586,081,253,355,079,240,744,261,814,870,918,055,920,432,372,
301,962,016,835,359,462,310,980,067,434,984,625,380,787,247,802,532,758,511,
333,502,460,778,884,339,034,019,700,927,663,958,167,698,908,010,736,101,410,
136,996,852,925,703,272,553,544,622,464,685,928,707,526,568,105,993,689,915,
218,073,801,443,404,945,008,266,425,932,413,139,826,915,084,069,991,159,279,
791,908,398,130,223,304,824,083,119,093,195,998,014,562,456,347,941,202,195,
900,928,079,670,729,447,921,616,491,887,478,265,780,022,181,166,697,152,511[/SIZE][/B][/FONT]

I'm sorry, that answer's only useful if it's in binary.

C'mon men, don't be so nitpicking! I love this:

[QUOTE=aketilander;319254]Q: Which is the easiest way to find the smallest* factor of MM127?
A: You divide MM127 by its largest** factor.
[/QUOTE]

I don't care if the biggest factor is composite, and obviously no one cares about trivial factors... This Q&A is wonderful. If you add "prime" instead of "*" and ""nontrivial" instead of "**" to make it mathematically right, you destroy all the joke...

@Uncwilly: good one too!

[QUOTE=ewmayer;319274]Even if you allow trivial factors (units), the answer is incorrect, because in that case no division is needed, ergo, n/n is not the easiest method to determine "1 is the smallest factor."[/QUOTE]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=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...

-----------------------------------

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?