The Mathematics of Futurama

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Posted by michael on Thursday June 3, 2004 @03:08AM from the numerology dept.

mclearn writes "Did you know that the writers of Futurama have a collective set of degrees that would rival most think tanks? Here is a hilarious site on the mathematics of Futurama -- specifically this article (pdf). The same authors have also researched the mathematics of the Simpsons, mentioned on Slashdot long ago."

52 of 481 comments (clear)

Smart? by SpanishInquisition · 2004-06-03 03:10 · Score: 3, Funny

Smart enough to NOT get cancelled?

--
Je t'aime Stéphanie
1. Re:Smart? by Cereal+Box · 2004-06-03 04:31 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Instead of watching intelligent, well-written shows like Futurama
  
  Is this the same Futurama where the lead character went back in time and had sex with his grandmother?
2. Re:Smart? by Seek_1 · 2004-06-03 04:40 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  if only I had mod points.. :) (funny!!)
3. Re:Smart? by tdemark · 2004-06-03 04:45 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I think you mean "did the nasty in the past-y".
  
  - Tony
4. Re:Smart? by SengirV · 2004-06-03 05:56 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Is this the same Futurama where the lead character went back in time and had sex with his grandmother?
  Why yes, yes it is
  
  V
  V
  V
  V
  
  --
  Prof. Farnsworth - "Oh a lesson in not changing history from Mr I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!"
A vision of the future.... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 03:10 · Score: 1, Funny

So this may mean that Futurama is a comedic view of the future? Scary....
1. Re:A vision of the future.... by _xeno_ · 2004-06-03 04:59 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I loved the commentary for that part of the pilot though. Paraphrased:
  - Hey, why didn't the building Fry was in get destroyed?
  - Um...
  - Uh...
  - Because... Shut up!
  [ all laugh ]
  I can't remember exactly who said what, but it was really amusing listen to them nitpick thier own show.
  
  --
  You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
Degrees? by kneecarrot · 2004-06-03 03:10 · Score: 4, Funny

Let me guess... masters degrees in folklore and mythology?

--
I always save my last mod point to mod up a good troll. You people are too serious.
1. Re:Degrees? by Dr.+Smeegee · 2004-06-03 04:19 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I was once part of an ill-fated theatre group, that had the misfortune of having a director with a Bachelors degree in Folklore from (yes) harvard.
  
  He was remarkably like the owner of the Android's Dungeon, except drunker and more into the Dead.
  
  He actually used the word "tripsidaisical" in a conversation with some financers. They were charmed until he pulled a beer from his coat pocket and opened it during the 10:00 am meeting.
Further study by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 03:10 · Score: 1, Funny

... into the thermodynamics of melting web servers.
Set of degrees that would rival most think tanks? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 03:11 · Score: 5, Funny

Translation: One of the writers has a bachelors in political science.
/.'ed already. by Stitch_626 · 2004-06-03 03:11 · Score: 5, Funny

Bed they didn't calculate that!!!

sorry....

--
Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
1. Re:/.'ed already. by Patrik_AKA_RedX · 2004-06-03 03:32 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Another application of the uncertainty principle. How do you know if the site is /.ed if don't click the link. But when you click the link you chance the process, since your click might be the one that caused the /. effect.
  Now how do I get that damn cat hooked up?
2. Re:/.'ed already. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 04:20 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  "I'm sorry, your fingers are too fat to type. If you wish to order a special dialing wand please mash the keyboard with your palm... now"
3. Re:/.'ed already. by Rei · 2004-06-03 05:00 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Tour guide: "And now we have entered Heisenberg's bedroom. Over in the corner is his bed. We know that he slept right there, although we don't know just how fast asleep he was."
  
  --
  "Who the hell is Nietzche? It's a question stupid people are asking." -- Newscaster, "Jesus Christ Supercop"
proof by Andorion · 2004-06-03 03:12 · Score: 2, Funny

Maybe they can put those degrees to good use and write a proof on the Slashdot Effect? They should have collected plenty of data right about now...

~Berj
SLURM by livhan28 · 2004-06-03 03:13 · Score: 5, Funny

theres nothing like a tall glass of SLURM while your waiting for a /.'ed page to load.
/.ed a university already? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 03:14 · Score: 2, Funny

HAH.

Of course, appstate.edu ranks up there with Zeb's College of Learnin'.
Re:It was obvious to me... by Rhubarb+Crumble · 2004-06-03 03:17 · Score: 5, Funny

...about from this point:
"Here. Take my +1 Mace."
10 SIN by FerretFrottage · 2004-06-03 03:17 · Score: 5, Funny

20 GOTO HELL

The show made me hurt with laughter so many times while the wife looked at me like I'm an ID10T. Well maybe I am, but the show made it clear why you shouldn't use GOTO statements.

--
"Look Lois, the two symbols of the Republican Party: an elephant, and a fat white guy who is threatened by change."
1. Re:10 SIN by caitsith01 · 2004-06-03 03:52 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Let's not forget Bender's nightmare...
  
  Bender: "Ahhh, what an awful dream. Ones and zeroes everywhere... and I thought I saw a two."
  Fry [comforting]: "It was just a dream, Bender. There's no such thing as two."
  
  Who would've thought they could make a show with lots of binary jokes in it and still make it the funniest thing on TV?
  
  --
  Read Pynchon.
2. Re:10 SIN by cynical · 2004-06-03 04:26 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  10 HOME
  20 SWEET
  30 GOTO 10
  My wife actually made one of these samplers for our house -- it is displayed proudly on our entryway wall.
3. Re:10 SIN by ChristianBaekkelund · 2004-06-03 05:44 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Everyone's forgetting the best math joke in the series...at one point when Fry and Amy were making out in the broom closet, behind them are two books:
  
  "P" and "NP"
4. Re:10 SIN by SamSim · 2004-06-03 07:21 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Best is in that haunted house, when he sees that someone has written a number in blood on the wall.
  "01011100101? What does it mean, Bender?"
  "Nothing, it's gibberish. [catches sight of the mirror image and screams] 1010011010?! Ahhhhhh!"
  
  1010011010 being 666 in binary. I also seem to recall him being pursued by a flying toaster and the Windows logo as he flees in terror.
  
  --
  qntm.org
Site is already dead by AmigaAvenger · 2004-06-03 03:20 · Score: 2, Funny

dead on an .edu server? should make for some happy admins.
here is my own .edu sacrifice to this great subject!
FuturaMath
The problem by Digitus1337 · 2004-06-03 03:21 · Score: 5, Funny

With all of the smart people making the show it only leaves dumb people to cancel the show!
Re:bit torrent? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 03:29 · Score: 1, Funny

Moderators: please mod parent as Flamebait *grin*
Re:Easy by Space_Nerd · 2004-06-03 03:32 · Score: 2, Funny

No no no
This is slashdot, so you must phrase that as a cliche.

Here, ill do it for you:
Step 1: Take one great show
Step 2: Run it a few years
Step 3: At the height of it's popularity, cancel it
Step 4: ????
Step 5: More profit for Fox Network

There, that's better now isn't it?

--
Everybody has a purpose in life, maybe mine is to lurk in slashdot.
Speaking of math.... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 03:38 · Score: 5, Funny

Bender: I need a calculator.
Fry: You are a calculator.
Bender: I need a good calculator.
It's ParaBOX by caitsith01 · 2004-06-03 03:47 · Score: 5, Funny

But yes, what an amazing episode.

One of my favourite scenes is the hippie universe:

Freakworth: "Dig it! All of you fitting in this box is like, seriously freaked up."
Farnsworth: "Nonsense! Why, there's a whole universe in there."
Freakworth: "Dude. There's a universe in all of us."
Freak Amy: "Right on, professor Freakworth."
[Professor Freakworth proffers a flower to Professor Farnsworth]
Farnsworth: "Get a job!"

WHY FOX WHYYYYY?????

There are murmurs that Matt G is trying to resurrect Futurama on the Cartoon Network... let us pray that it is so.

--
Read Pynchon.
1. Re:It's ParaBOX by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 11:53 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Get the hell off of our website!
Re:Easy by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 03:47 · Score: 1, Funny

You missed the first step -- "take one great show"
Quote from the Simpsons by T-Keith · 2004-06-03 03:51 · Score: 2, Funny

teen: Why did they cancel Futurama?!
Re:It was obvious to me... by devorama · 2004-06-03 03:54 · Score: 5, Funny

The gang goes to visit the edge of the universe. It's one of those tourist activities that you never get around to. There is a telescope looking out into the empty expanse. Fry looks into the telescope and sees a mirror image of his entire group, except everyone has a beard, as in Star Trek's evil Spock. Fry asks who they are, and Prof. Farnsworth tells him it's another universe.
Fry: "Are there an infinite number of universes?"
Prof. F.: "No, just the two."
What the Internet is all about by October_30th · 2004-06-03 03:58 · Score: 2, Funny

you can get all the ed2k links on here
"You can't shut us down! The Internet is about the free exchange and sale of other people's ideas!" - Nappster nerd in I dated a Robot-episode.

--
The owls are not what they seem
Re:It was obvious to me... by CrazyTalk · 2004-06-03 03:59 · Score: 5, Funny

One of my favorites (paraphrased):
Why, thats over 200 atmospheres of pressure!
How many atmospheres of pressure can the ship withstand, Professor?
Well, its a spaceship. So anywhere between zero and 1.
If you want an obscure reference - Samurai Jack by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 04:05 · Score: 5, Funny

In a Samurai Jack episode, a town folk is telling Jack there's two roads ahead of him.

Jack: "Which road leads to the Dragon's Lair?"
Town folk: "The left one."
Jack: "Where does the other road lead?"
Town folk: "Space Ace."

If THAT ain't obscure I don't know what is.

I was still laughing 15 minutes after that, though. :-)

P.S.: If you didn't get that one, the keyword here is "laserdisc games".
Re:It was obvious to me... by October_30th · 2004-06-03 04:05 · Score: 2, Funny

Prof. F.: "No, just the two."
On the commentary track someone, don't remember who, points out that while there are only two parallel universes there is actually an infinite number of perpendicular ones.

--
The owls are not what they seem
Good news by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 04:08 · Score: 3, Funny

"Good news everyone, we're getting 500 visitors per second!"
Re:Set of degrees that would rival most think tank by Dr.+Smeegee · 2004-06-03 04:09 · Score: 4, Funny

...aaaand I'm a choad and totally missed your joke. Glad I could post that in the blinding fog of my unearned self-regard.
Aleph-null plex by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 04:10 · Score: 3, Funny

My favorite reference was when the gang went to the movies, and it was an "Aleph-null plex". That is, the number of movie theaters was countably infinite. How horribly dorky!

--
Gary
Let the quotes begin! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 04:11 · Score: 5, Funny

My favorite futurama quote of all time:

Fry: Oh my god!
Bender: Oh your god.
Re:Lesson This Teaches by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 04:12 · Score: 1, Funny

The "Klein's" reference was classic too :)
Re:did the network give a reason by gfxguy · 2004-06-03 04:17 · Score: 3, Funny

Sorry, but it had to be done:

Me lose brain cells? Ha ha ha ha.... why I laugh?

--
Stupid sexy Flanders.
geeks by DarkHelmet · 2004-06-03 04:40 · Score: 4, Funny

I knew the very first episode that these people were geeks when Bender was drinking liquid FORTRAN.

--
/^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
see, your math degree... by dekeji · 2004-06-03 04:46 · Score: 2, Funny

is worth something after all.
Re:Masters in Math by Trigun · 2004-06-03 04:50 · Score: 2, Funny

I've gotta get a tivo so I can watch it before 11 at night

Well, in lines of me being a pedantic asshole, you're watching it after 11, unless your Tivo can record the future.

Just to test, can you record this weekends lottery numbers and post them? I want to cover all bases here.
Re:It was obvious to me... by hchaos · 2004-06-03 04:52 · Score: 3, Funny

The highly intelligent, prog-rock trio or the pill-scarfing Bloat-O-Pundit?

But Alex Lifeson is a member of Rush!

Oh, wait....
Funniest moderation ever : ) by Scrameustache · 2004-06-03 05:00 · Score: 5, Funny

10 HOME
20 SWEET
30 GOTO 10

(Score:0, Redundant)

Redundant indeed ;-)

--
You can't take the sky from me...
Another ultra-obscure cartoon joke by Indomitus · 2004-06-03 07:43 · Score: 3, Funny

From 'Pinky & The Brain'

Brain: Are you pondering what I'm pondering?

Pinky: Oh, I think so Brain, but SNOBOL for Windows?

SNOBOL is an early-60s era programming language. The only reason I caught that joke was one of my professors mentioned it offhand the day I saw that episode. I am forever impressed by the writers of P&tB because of this quote.
Re:It was obvious to me... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-03 12:09 · Score: 2, Funny

I preferred the slightly subtler DnD joke a bit earlier, during the introductions:

"Hi, I'm Gary Gygax. I'm...."

rolls dice and checks result

"... pleased to meet you."
Sum of two cubes by Loozrboy · 2004-06-03 12:19 · Score: 2, Funny

By odd coincidence, it was just a couple days ago that I was watching "Lesser of Two Evils" and got inspired to write a little program to determine whether Bender and Flexo's serial numbers really were expressible as the sum of 2 cubes (although I didn't doubt for a moment they were... just to ruin everybody else's fun, the answers are 119^3 + 119^3 = 3370318 and 952^3 + (-951)^3 = 2716057). Astonishingly, this anecdote failed to impress a job interviewer who asked me what kinds of things I did to keep my programming skills sharp. As if I want to work somewhere that doesn't appreciate a nerdy Futurama fan!