And equations? Well, they're not so bad, really. Solving one has always given me immense satisfaction.
Of all math concepts, the one that I particularly disliked in high school was graphing points. Sometimes I would mix up the x-axis and y-axis (rather like I sometimes mix up left and right) and then my graphs would be a mess. Add to that all the shifting and reflecting of functions and whatnot and the whole thing just became like a hopelessly tangled ball of yarn in my head.
Yesterday the Fearless One reminded me that I once wrote a poem about a graph concept that was particularly frustrating to me: asymptotes. Here it is, for your viewing pleasure.
If I ever met an asymptote, do you know what I'd say?
It's likely I would tell that useless thing to go away.
Asymptotes aren't helpful, for they muddle up my brain.
A graph with one becomes a thing that I cannot explain.
In a function, they're supposed to show the balances and checks,
but all they do for me is help me to misplace each x.
They say that asymptotes make sense, but that is just a lie.
Why should there ever have to be a limit to this y?
Numbers are just things that should be lined up in a line.
To any other way of thought I find I'm not inclined,
and therefore, it is hard for me to see this in my mind:
that two puny dotted straits would keep some points confined?
Points on a graph can't run away; they stay within their space.
Confining them is fruitless, a fact you've got to face.
If those stagnant points should truly wish to move about,
I doubt those skinny asymptotes could really keep them out.
Yes, asymptotes are useless, no matter where one roams.
So I won't do my Pre-Calc homework, I'll just sit here writing poems.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Questions, comments, concerns, complaints?