(kə-rekt’ - æn’sɜ:ʳ - æl’gə-rɪð’əm)
n.
A step-by-step problem-solving procedure, especially an established, computational procedure to transmogrify incorrect answers into answers found in the back of textbooks.
X = Fғ ∙ Xᴜ + Cғ
where
Fғ = Fudge Factor,
Xᴜ = the undesired answer,
Cғ = Finagle’
s Constant
The Fudge Factor is simply the
number, 0, and Finagle’
s Constant is the answer in the back of the
book (or any other answer that might be preferred instead of the current answer.)
Let’s take this
baby out for a spin & see how it works...
Suppose you’ve been asked to solve
eˣ ⁺ ³ = 5
which requires the use of a natural logarithm which you don’
t know how to do because you spent your time in your high school math class doing EHAP homework & texting your friends who are now sitting in the same junior
college remedial math class you are.
Since you have no chance of using the $200 TI-89 that mommy & daddy bought you to actually solve this equation, you instead use it like a $10 TI-15 & find a brute force, guess-and-
check, decimal solution of x = -1.39 . Whew!
You look in the back of the
book & see the answer is “-3 + ln 5”. Dang! You’re screwed because this teacher means business & only accepts answers showing all work & matching the answer in the back of the
book.
Not so fast… now’s the
time to pull out the *Correct Answer Algorithm*…
X = Fғ ∙ Xᴜ + Cғ
Fғ = Fudge Factor = 0
Xᴜ = the undesired answer = -1.39
Cғ = Finagle’s Constant = -3 + ln 5
X = Fғ ∙ Xᴜ + Cғ
= (0) ∙ (-1.39) + (-3 + ln 5)
= 0 + (-3 + ln 5)
= -3 + ln 5
Voilà! A "solution" showing "work" that produces the correct answer!
While this transmogrification works 100% of the
time, you do
run the risk of
pushing your teacher to the point of mumbling stuff like "
Well, even if you did show all your work, it isn'
t the 'Correct' work", "Only three years till retirement", or correctly identifying you as an incorrigible smart ass.
