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dan73
Posts:
412
From:
ct
Registered:
6/14/08
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Re: Numerical disasters
Posted:
Sep 20, 2010 9:22 AM
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On Sep 20, 6:48 am, "humberto.bortolo...@gmail.com" <humberto.bortolo...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hello! > > The probe "Mars Climate Orbiter" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ > Mars_Climate_Orbiter) fell because it was sending data using the > metric system, while the team on Earth was interpreting these data in > US customary units. > > The error that caused the disaster of the Varig Flight 254(http:// > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varig_Flight_254) was due a notation > interpretation: 0270 was interpreted as 270 degrees and not as 27.0 > degrees by the pilot. > > Anyone know of other examples of numerical disasters? > > Thanks in advance, Humberto.
Sorry for taking this out of context but I could not resist.
Yea, the U.S. debt crises for one.
These numbers are becoming so huge it is beyond comprehension of the common man and the scary part, most of our law makers and economist. So this is truly a numerical disaster of the first order.
Dan
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