Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Sugar and spice and unfettered insensibility.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


               

A License to Calculate

Include mathematical symbols in car number plates
  (+9, -5)
(+9, -5)
  [vote for,
against]

You're on the road, when you hit a traffic jam. Everything stops and you stare blankly ahead scanning the uninteresting rear ends of about a dozen or so cars in front, but then you remember that the license plates all now have extra mathematical symbols including some = signs, interspersed among the numerals, inviting you to stretch your brain with mental arithmetic. Some of these could be simple additions, but square roots, complex numbers, and barely soluble conundrums are all feasible, depending on your level of ability. Trafficalculus competitions would flourish. Calculations could span several lanes of traffic with folk signalling each other with messages such as "what's the answer to the blue Ford Transit multiplied by the white Toyota in the fast lane?"
xenzag, Oct 16 2005

[link]






       EMCEESQD
RayfordSteele, Oct 16 2005
  

       GTO>BMW   

       iTRANSIT   

       Wouldn't that be nice.
wagster, Oct 16 2005
  

       I graffiti; therefore, I think.
reensure, Oct 16 2005
  

       This is a fantastic and silly idea and I love the way you have brazenly predicted people's reaction to it as well.   

       [+]
monojohnny, Jul 02 2006
  

       "Barley soluble conumdrums." You mean riddles than dissolve in grain?
discontinuuity, Oct 08 2006
  

       I had forgotten this one myself - was one of my first ideas last year, and a very mediocre offering at that.   

       Well spotted [rasberry re-tart] The barley has returned to the harvest.
xenzag, Oct 08 2006
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle