@Gigili I realized all my normal vectors are flawed. But I don't know why I need to use them, sicne I want to know the motion through the $x$ axis (since there is no motion in the $y$ axis.
@Jordan Well the "rules" that you are trying to apply logic to, are a direct result of a series of logical conclusions culminating in a collection of logical "rules" or relations.
@Jordan The brain is a lot like a muscle in that you have to repeat things over and over to it until you develop the reflexes to be begin to be able to understand something ;D
honestly I dont have time for this, I am wasting my time, I have my final this week and there might be one or two questions with ln or log and my understanding of log rules probably won't matter if I just remember the derivative or antiderivative
@Jordan Well I did pass my calculus classes with A's. But I think the biggest difference between you and me is that I didn't have a crappy attitude about it.
@David it is hard having a good attitude when all I do is fail my classes though, I started with a good attitude, but really it is hard to be positive when there is nothing to be posititive about
@Jordan If you are that easily deterred, and your attitude is so easily changed, then it is clear that you didn't have a good attitude to begin with. And you obviously don't believe in yourself enough to be willing to commit to succeeding.
@DylanMoreland One key aspect is that any given subset is valid if the largest element of the subset is smaller than the sum of the rest of it
and so i can either look for subsets that are valid or look for invalid subsets and subtract them from the total possible, 2^n-1, not sure which way is best yet
since it's asking for an answer that stems from having a U list 10^18 elements long, it implies a logarithmic approach taking advantage of the recurrence relationship for s
i compiled a bunch of information about the problem and there are lots of interesting progressions but any attempt to fit it to a pattern seems to not work. results start to diverge
feels like I am just trying to hack at the data blindly without really understanding the logical way to tackle the problem
@PeterTamaroff, it is better if you answer the questions as comments rather as an answer, because otherwise the connection to the question, and the context, is lost
this is just another instance of the fact that using the same engine for the main site and for the meta site is a terribly stupid idea, but we have to cope with it
for instance if I want the answer to N=5, I can solve for the number of ways to count subsets with everything sans the last element summing to some k, where k = 0 to m, where m is the max element of s, then subtract all that from 2^n-1 (in the case of N=5 that's k=0 through 6)
> FWIW I upvoted this answer, too. Something that the candidates should know about, and certainly me the voter likes to hear about. BUT a nominee, who is not a research mathematician, should not register at MO as a response to this question. IMHO that is quite the wrong reaction. – Jyrki Lahtonen 3 hours ago
@PeterTamaroff For the final deduction. You multiply the first equation by $\cos x$ and the second by $\sin x$, then add. And similarly for the other one.
@MarianoSuárezAlvarez If by "a rodent" you mean we must scratch away at the wall doesn't reviewing material leading up to the wall help you take a run at it to leap over it?
@Gigili, that comment says that registering as a reaction to the question is silly—that is true one can register to check out the site, to ask questions, and what not. there is nothing offensive in the comment
@skullpatrol, well, sometimes reviewing shows you how to walk around the wall, too, or how to dig a tunnel below it, or it just provides you with a nuclear weapon with which to pulverise the wall...
@Gigili, I really don't think such a reading will be popular---if you really think you have to make this point clear, add a comment explaining your motivation to join MO. I personally do not think that is needed.
@MattN you want to produce one that certainly isn't in the list. If you're unlucky your list has $0.1000...$ appearing and always $0$'s on the diagonal entries
