back to article Take that, Mom! Turns out Super Mario Bros was all about solving complex math problems

Completing a game of Super Mario Brothers is the mathematic equivalent of solving complex mathematical calculations, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The prestigious tech university said in a recent study [PDF] that navigating the world's most famous plumber through a single level can require the same …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Trollface

    All things are...

    Maths?

    (Or Math as it is correctly pronounced)

    1. Stevie

      Re: All things are...

      The correct pronunciation is "hard sums".

    2. Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese Silver badge

      Re: "Math" vs "Maths"

      I say that the correct pronounciation is "maths", as it's short for "mathematics".

      Out of curiosity, what do you consider "math" to be short for ("mathematic" in the singular)?

      1. TheProf

        Tom-MAH-to

        Conversely, our American cousins prefer to use the term 'sports' when they actually mean 'sport'.

        .

        1. g e

          Lazer

          I rest my case.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Lazer

            ...and they use "baseball" when they mean "rounders". And put pads on.

        2. Fungus Bob
          Trollface

          Re: Tom-MAH-to

          "Conversely, our American cousins prefer to use the term 'sports' when they actually mean 'sport'."

          Not exactly. We use the term 'sports' when we are talking about millionaires chasing their balls around a field. Hip hop is millionaires grabbing their balls in front of people.

      2. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

        Re: "Math" vs "Maths"

        I say that the correct pronounciation is "maths", as it's short for "mathematics".

        Out of curiosity, what do you consider "math" to be short for ("mathematic" in the singular)?

        Astonishingly, it turns out that "mathematics" can also be shortened to "math", by removing the final seven letters.

        I realize this is a difficult concept for some of you. Try working it out by hand.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: All things are...

      I love how I've found out the proportion of people with humour to the proportion without...

      Or is it the number who can understand sarcasm? I'll admit defeat if it was not a funny joke. To me it will always be "Maths" even if it sounds like an erroneous plural.

      Relivant Youtube: http://youtu.be/SbZCECvoaTA

    4. TheVogon

      Re: All things are...

      If you want a laugh try asking an American to pronounce the following:

      Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Barium, Aluminium....

  2. Brian Scott

    This is like saying my dog can solve quadratic equations because it can catch a ball.

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon
      Coat

      re:Quadratic Equations

      That's nothing, my goldfish can solve fluid dynamic equations in REAL-TIME!!

  3. Camilla Smythe

    Like Riding a Bike

    Flappy Bird.... meh!

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Guffawed, then fell silent

    About 2 seconds into thinking "pshaw! what tosh!" and similar Old Man thoughts, it dawned on me that lots of real world processes would, if considered by a computer, be impossibly hard. Like: your dog catching a frisbee (3d differential equations of motion). Or packing your shopping bag efficiently as it comes off the conveyor (knapsack problem). Or navigating by magnetic field (who knew birds could do vector calculus and field equations?)

    Nature is a truly wonderful thing.

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon

      Re: Guffawed, then fell silent

      "Or packing your shopping bag efficiently as it comes off the conveyor (knapsack problem)"

      Oh, you mean the Tetris simulator at the local supermarket?

      1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

        Re: Guffawed, then fell silent

        Heh, you should have seen my dad loading our car before setting of for the annual family holiday.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Mario taught me maths....

    .... but if it wasn't for Lara, then i would be without any vine swinging skills whatsoever and then where would i be!!!!!

    1. Geoffrey W

      Re: Mario taught me maths....

      Safely on the ground, where we all belong

  6. steogede
    FAIL

    >> Completing a game of Super Mario Brothers is the mathematic equivalent of solving complex mathematical calculations, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    No, it is the video game equivalent of solving mathematical equations.

  7. Pseudonymous Diehard

    Nerds

    Obviously the equation for solving all gaming problems is up up down down left right left right B A.

    ID Software simified it some way down the line to IDDQD.

    And eventually Call of Duty solved all the problems with no equation at all by simply having no challenge to get in the way of a crap plot to begin with.

    1. mattpswain

      Re: Nerds

      Up - C - Down - C - Left - C - Right - C - A - B - C

      I can remember the combo... NO IDEA what game it was for though!

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