<p>Sneakie:
Try this:
a = b
a^2 = ab
a^2 - b^2 = ab - b^2
(a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b)
(a+b) = b
2b = b
2 = 1</p>
<p>So, since 5 = 5
3 + 2 = 5+0</p>
<p>substitute 2=1 in LHS, to get
3 + 1 = 5
or 2 + 2 = 5 :)</p>
<p>eh, no clue. </p>
<p>great song though.</p>
<p>OptimizerDad, That's the one I was talking about... You divide by 0.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>actually in that equation you have a+b=b so, it is a=0 which means b=0 which proves nothing. Interesting idea though. Try showing that to your average person. LOL.</p>
<p>It's an old math trick, nothing that I made up.</p>
<p>As HiWei said, the mathematical no<em>can</em>do was in dividing both sides by (a-b), which is 0. The apparent 'fact' that a+b then equals b has nothing to do with the numerical value of a; you could have done the entire thing substituting (for example) '7' wherever you saw 'a' or 'b'.</p>
<p>Still, it's a great exercise in logic to present to the average person, esp. someone whom you want to drive nuts... :)</p>
<p>2.4 rounds to 2, so you could say 2.4 + 2.4 = 4.8 (which simplifies to 2+2=5)</p>
<p>renin, you should actually use 2.49999999999(repeating) which can be proven to equal 2.5 but rounded to 1 digit is equal to 2 :P</p>