What the Heck is this...

[2 of 10]

Being not to up on advanced math, I came across a equation in the Trek Encyclopedia page 122. It's called the Drake Equation, In Voyager ep Futures End pt 1, there is a copy of it posted on the wall in Rain Robinsons office, can any people who know higher math decipher this formula ????

 

[Gepard]

It's not really a "higher math" thing; algebra at most. There's an explanation of what all the variables mean here.

 

[Timo]

It's not high math, it's elementary math...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation

It's simply a helpful spelling out of all the variables that might affect the emergence of intelligent life in the universe. You know, you start with how probable it is that a star is born, then if that happens you wonder how probable it is that the star has planets, then if that happens you ask how probable it is that the planets are earthlike, and so on. Each probability is denoted by a letter, and you get the probability of intelligent life emerging by multiplying all these other probabilities.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[2 of 10]

It's not high math, it's elementary math...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation

It's simply a helpful spelling out of all the variables that might affect the emergence of intelligent life in the universe. You know, you start with how probable it is that a star is born, then if that happens you wonder how probable it is that the star has planets, then if that happens you ask how probable it is that the planets are earthlike, and so on. Each probability is denoted by a letter, and you get the probability of intelligent life emerging by multiplying all these other probabilities.

Timo Saloniemi

Being math challenged it does not look elementary to me, anytime you use letters instead of numbers I tend to get lost

 

[GodThingFormerly]

Being not to up on advanced math...

What exactly is it that you do in the NoCal aerospace industry, 2 of 10? Coincidentally, the Rand Corporation engineer Stephen H. Dole independently derived at about the same time a virtually identical formula to calculate the number of habitable worlds in the Milky Way galaxy which was published on page 82 of his 1964 monograph, Habitable Planets for Man. Gene Roddenberry - possibly demonstrating a remarkable understanding of the average television network executive's interest in the planetary sciences - employed a completely bogus version of Dole's equation in his original Star Trek pitch dated March 11, 1964 (PDF).

TGT

 

[2 of 10]

Being not to up on advanced math...

What exactly is it that you do in the NoCal aerospace industry, 2 of 10? Coincidentally, the Rand Corporation engineer Stephen H. Dole independently derived at about the same time a virtually identical formula to calculate the number of habitable worlds in the Milky Way galaxy which was published on page 82 of his 1964 monograph, Habitable Planets for Man. Gene Roddenberry - possibly demonstrating a remarkable understanding of the average television network executive's interest in the planetary sciences - employed a completely bogus version of Dole's equation in his original Star Trek pitch dated March 11, 1964 (PDF).

TGT

^^
I sense a misunterstanding, glad you asked, I am in Document Control, I am responsible for all Doc Changes, Specfications and ECO's. I never claimed to be a math whiz, I do however, work in the industry. Not all people who work in the AS industry are scientists, in case you did not know. I have been employed at NASA/Ames Reseach Center since 1995...

 

[2 of 10]

Being not to up on advanced math...

What exactly is it that you do in the NoCal aerospace industry, 2 of 10? Coincidentally, the Rand Corporation engineer Stephen H. Dole independently derived at about the same time a virtually identical formula to calculate the number of habitable worlds in the Milky Way galaxy which was published on page 82 of his 1964 monograph, Habitable Planets for Man. Gene Roddenberry - possibly demonstrating a remarkable understanding of the average television network executive's interest in the planetary sciences - employed a completely bogus version of Dole's equation in his original Star Trek pitch dated March 11, 1964 (PDF).

TGT

You also seem to have a problem with intelligent design, I suggest that you read "Why the Universe is the way it Is" By Hugh Ross PhD in Astronomy...

 

[Cyke101]

It's not high math, it's elementary math...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation

It's simply a helpful spelling out of all the variables that might affect the emergence of intelligent life in the universe. You know, you start with how probable it is that a star is born, then if that happens you wonder how probable it is that the star has planets, then if that happens you ask how probable it is that the planets are earthlike, and so on. Each probability is denoted by a letter, and you get the probability of intelligent life emerging by multiplying all these other probabilities.

Timo Saloniemi

Being math challenged it does not look elementary to me, anytime you use letters instead of numbers I tend to get lost

It's not "high math" per se, it's simply long, that's all. Like all math problems, if you take it one step at a time, you'll get to the answer.

 

[Gepard]

You also seem to have a problem with intelligent design, I suggest that you read "Why the Universe is the way it Is" By Hugh Ross PhD in Astronomy...

I fear to ask, but...what?

 

[2 of 10]

You also seem to have a problem with intelligent design, I suggest that you read "Why the Universe is the way it Is" By Hugh Ross PhD in Astronomy...

I fear to ask, but...what?

A bottle of good wine may be the reason, my post had to do with the signature section of the other poster. Something to do with God and Star Trek, I had just finished the book that I mentioned, and I really don't know why I did. Blame it on the Wine, it was an Opolo Mountain Zin with an AC of 16.5%

 

[Forbin]

I fondly remember Carl Sagan explaining the equation on an episode of Cosmos when I was .... much younger.