Hi gAr;

And where should the other enthusiasts go?

I think the other enthusiasts are already being told where they should go. It is a warm, sulfurous place.

Hi;

Yes, that is very true but can you explain what your explantion has to do with the topic?

If you would have read that poor bedraggled persons problem in post #1 you would know that he is talking about odd and even numbered exercises in math books, not about the integers.

bobbym wrote:

Hi;

You know what I hate? Books on math that only answer odd numbered exercises. Now what is that? Everybody knows all the really good problems are the even numbered ones. Authors, please answer the odd numbered, the even numbered, the prime numbered, the letter numbered, Catalan numbers numbered etc. Oh wait, the Roman numeral numbered too!

Here is a book, the problem I want is #25, so I am in luck. Guess what, he skipped over that one. Wait a minute, I have the revised edition. Surely the new edition will handle that problem. Nope, he changed it from #25 to #26, just so he could skip it. I had to do it myself, now is that right?

So where do we go from here? Leave out the even numbered pages?

I noticed that. The answers are in the back of the book, but only to odd numbered questions. Unless--it is an end of chapter quiz. Then you are in luck.

It certainly is. I just noticed that.

Had a teacher tell me that he does not make mistakes when he answers questions in the back of his monographs. He does that on purpose he says, just to see if you are observant. Haw haw hawwww haw haw!

Hi Bob and all;

Actually the original post was not serious commentary but I will act like it is. That will not be easy. I will defend my earlier comments with the demeanor of a big know it all. Here is what I will try:

Not everyone that reads a book is a student. Teachers and authors also are not the same people. An instructor should not use problems from a book and he should know when the student has just copied an answer.

Let us take a look at the students you are describing. Not answering even numbered problems does not stop them. He/she can go to any number of forums and have their questions answered. Worse, there are pay sites that will answer any homework question for 2 bucks american. Perhaps homework is obsolete. The good students do their own and the others do not. Of course a teacher should be able to know when a student has done his own work. They may not be able to act on those suspicions.

I was just asked by someone whether or not his teacher would be able to see that the work was not his own. He was worrying about being caught but not worried enough to do his own. He got very good answers from people in here and felt his teacher would know that he just copied. Over my time here I feel that anyone who is utilizing the services of the Jane's, mathsy's, gAr's, Bob Bundy's, and many others is going to hand in high quality work despite the fact that Tucker penalized me on problem #26.

All this means is that if I ever run into Tucker he is a dead man.

Hi Bob;

just post it here and we'll happily tear your solution to pieces

Oh yea! Sorry, I know that is the comeback of a nine year old but I have nothing better. Okay, you got me.

prepare lessons
teach the lesson
set the work   ***
set the homework   ***
mark the work
write reports
do paperwork
meet the parents
act like a policeman
act like a social worker
act like a psychiatrist

Agreed. It is the hardest job. I do not know what your beliefs are but all of them assure us you will be paid back. It is like money in the bank.

An answer book was sold separately for anyone who wanted / needed it.

Agreed. There are solution manuals.

wrt your comments about Tucker.  Does that mean it is not safe to tell you when you are wrong?

Concerning Tucker, almost everything I know comes from him. If I had his knowledge about combinatorics I would throw mine away. Like all people being told I am wrong is a hard nut to swallow but I found that at least acting graciously is half the battle. I never did figure which was easier, to be a good winner, or a good loser. This poem better known in your country says it all.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with King – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!