this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] laserm@lemmy.world 11 points 5 hours ago (3 children)

Why would a mathematician use j for imaginary numbers and why would engineer be mad at them?

[–] CyanideShotInjection@lemmy.world 13 points 5 hours ago

The only thing I can think of is that the OP studied electrical engineering at some point. But it's a 4chan story so probably fake anyway.

[–] prex@aussie.zone 3 points 4 hours ago

I think it might be the wrong way around: Engineers like to use j for imaginary numbers because i is needed for current.

[–] AlboTheGuy@feddit.nl 3 points 5 hours ago

Mathematicians are taught to be elastic with notation, because they tend to be taught many different interpretations of the same theory.

On the other hand engineers use more strict and consistent notation, their classes have a more practical approach.

Using the same notation makes it faster to read and apply math, a more agile approach helps with learning new theories and approaches and with being creative.

[–] Almacca@aussie.zone 17 points 10 hours ago

I have no idea what they're talking about, but I do love a happy ending.

[–] BudgetBandit@sh.itjust.works 14 points 10 hours ago

I love how that wannabe 4chan nerd just got outnerded in the comment section

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 9 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Can somebody ELI5 this for my troglodyte writer brain?

[–] BlackRoseAmongThorns@slrpnk.net 7 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 children)

Integrals are an expression that basically has an opening symbol, and an operation that is written at the end of it that is used also as a closing symbol, looks kinda like:$ {some function of x} dx.

The person basically said "the dx part can be written at the start also, and that would make my so mad :3": $ dx {some function of x}.

This gets their so mad because understandably this makes the notation non-standard and harder to read, also you'd have to use parentheses if the expression doesn't just end at the function.

Note: dollar used instead of integral symbol

[–] voldage@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

I also use dollars instead of integral symbols, I don't do math though.

[–] int_not_found@feddit.org 3 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

An integral is usually written like ∫ f(x) dx or alternatively as df(x)/dx. Please note that this is just a way to apply the operation 'Integration', like + applies the operation 'Addition'. There is no real multiplication or division.

But sometimes you can take a shortcut and treat dx as a multiplied constant. This is technically not correct, but under the right circumstances lands you at the same solution as the proper way. This then looks like this ∫ f(y) dy/dx dx = ∫ f(y) dy

Another thing you can do is to move multiplicative constants from inside the Integral to in front of the Integral: ∫ 2f(x) dx = 2 ∫ f(x) dx. (That is always correct btw)

What anon did was combine those two things and basically write ∫ f(x) dx = dx ∫ f(x). Which is nonsensical, but given the above rules not easily disproven.

This is more or less the same tactic used by internet trolls just in a mathy way. Purposefully misinterpreting arguments and information, that cost the other party considerably more energy to discover and rebut. Hence the hate fuck.

[–] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 49 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (6 children)

operative?

Also mathematicians use i for imaginary, engineers use j. The story does not add up. I have never seen a single mathematician use j for imaginary.

[–] zeca 1 points 5 hours ago

The associativity thing also doesnt make sense.

[–] Unlearned9545@lemmy.world 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Engineer here: mostly use i, but have seen j used plenty. First time I saw j used was by a maths professor.

[–] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 6 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

Interesting I never saw j from a maths person. Friends (from a decade ago!) in electronics eng dep said they use j because i was reserved for current. perhaps the latter depends on the department.

[–] Chakravanti@monero.town 1 points 6 hours ago

j is pretention when a math doer does it. j is for engineers and you don't even understand the bubble ratio filtering equation let alone be asking to envision what temp you did the mAEth in.

You got lost in the number of letters instead of realizing the MeTowel's important presence til that EOTU moment of that manufa turing of Big Black Goles you get to watch it all happen again as Thanos facepalms.

[–] SanicHegehog@lemmy.world 6 points 13 hours ago

imaJinary

TIL engineers can't spell for shit.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 2 points 11 hours ago

Cannot confirm, we always used i.

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[–] answersplease77@lemmy.world -2 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

so after he angered his bf he got fucked as in trouble with him or sex? raped? wtf lol

[–] jyl@sopuli.xyz 4 points 4 hours ago

Wtf mate, nothing that serious. Anon teased him and the score was settled when they did the thing later that night.

The story looks pretty fake and gay anyway, but it's more wholesome than your idea.

[–] Neverclear@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 5 hours ago

hate fuck:

An act of aggressive sex with someone as if they had no respect for the person as an equal human being, regardless if they actually do, or not. Hate fucking usually entails aggressive, sometimes violent, degrading, and humiliating sexual acts and behaviors perpetrated by an aggressive party onto a submissive, solely in the interest of the aggressor's own pleasure and amusement, and without regard for the submissive party's enjoyment or well being.

Unlike rape, hate fucking is a form of consensual sex where the submissive party has agreed (for whatever reason) to accept the treatment and behavior of the aggressor.

Though unlike proper BDSM, the submissive party has not previously discussed boundaries, likes or dislikes, and doesn't necessarily enjoy all, or even any of the treatment they receive.

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hate+fuck

[–] tfowinder@beehaw.org 1 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Learned a new word, Hate ****

[–] jyl@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 hours ago

Hate ****

I too take hate shits on the toilet.

[–] MrShankles@reddthat.com 3 points 8 hours ago
[–] itslilith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

$\int dx f(x)$ is standard notation for physicists

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 3 points 11 hours ago

Yes but everyone knows physicists like weird notations

[–] cooligula@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

But the post says before the integral, so I understand what they did would be $dx \int f(x)$, which is disgusting

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 43 points 22 hours ago (3 children)

Me, a language/arts person: "Huh?"

[–] axEl7fB5@lemmy.cafe 18 points 19 hours ago (2 children)
[–] lena@gregtech.eu 2 points 5 hours ago

Fullstack dev here. "Huh?"

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 2 points 11 hours ago

Webdev not knowing anything about computer science (and thus mathematics)? I am shocked. Shocked!

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[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 277 points 1 day ago (26 children)

Fake and gay.

No way the engineer corrects the mathematician for using j instead of i.

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