Cube what/ why?

Considering that I haven't really paid much attention to the study of math in many years I was some what surprised to be asked to cube a number.


To me, a cube means a lot but it doesn't mean a number :/


When I think of a cube, I think of the operations one can carry out on it.

Find the external dimensions of it's walls to find how much space it occupies to store. Find the internal dimensions of it's walls if any to find out how much it holds. The knowing how many cubic centimetres the object may hold, try to find the probable capacity in US Gal. That it may hold and of how much kg it said liquid will occupy. Of course the problem there is that we need to know what kind of liquid lol.

Damn, I used to do that kind of shit when I was a youngster. When I was like 12-13 I was always trying to cook up a custom mech design of some kind of Mobile Suit, down to the most minute details... Even to the thickness of armour locations and the metrics of the thruster systems. I basically had given up on the study of math years prior but I needed math to persue my interests. So I worked on it, I wouldn't know how to describe in proper terms most of the stuff I did, so much as the results. Many a time in those years ago, back when the word "mall" had some meaning. I would often ask my mom for a calculator, pencil, and paper so I could work out some problem or figure while I walked.


For the most part, I know squat about mathematics because I've done my best to ignore paying attention to it in school. But, given a proper reason to find some thing and the time & motivation to do it. I can usually find my way though things after some time.



I'd love to learn more about some the more complex aspects of math but school has never served such a goal very well. And what little time I do get to my self to study on any thing is limited... It was a wonder I ever learned the basics of working in binary :/

Most of the times when I sit down to work on some thing and then end up in the game servers a short while later, is because my family is driving me so nuts that I can't get any thing done... or I'm to tired to do any thing else. Really to get any thing done around here I've got to wait till they go to bed... the STHU up and let me work thing doesn't work...


A man can do many things but without finding a good purpose for doing them he is trapped in hell. That's how I think school can be best described... Why waste time with a text book, when what little time I have... Could be spent wrapping my head around some thing interest? Like the Unix V6 kernel with a handy book to fill in the gaps for example.



Sheese, I think the book started out as part of the authors computer science courses at the University of New South Wales in the 1970's, and to be honest I'd much rather have a chance to learn about how old Unix worked on the in side then putt around with the sludge school books demand :S. At least this has a point to it, learning some thing !!!!!



My time is limited enough as it is, I preferr to spend it ether with friends or learning.... not wasting it more then necessary.