With regards to your first comment (which I just read): "It was
unessential to the hypothesis parameters.", you are correct.
But, allow me to change context and you will likely find what
follows as extremely irritating, or at least somewhat bemusing
at my futile attempt to point out an obvious point.
This is a standard word problem in 5th Grade Common Core Math. I
just found it, copied it, no preparation or forethought
required. [[1]
http://www.lakeshore.wnyric.org/Page/3492 not that
it matters]
Nothing strange about it: it is a typical math problem a 5th
grader in 2015 will see on a test.
But, what's wrong with it?
It's not real.
There's no Maxwell. There's no Mom. There's no skis.
If you had a friend named Maxwell, who was short the cash, would
you use one of these things to figure out what he owes?
Maybe you would. Or maybe he's hit up Uncle Marty for another
$50, fix a friend's computer for $30, help his friend's little
sister with _her_ math homework for a few extra dollars, until
he goes to the store and finds out if he has enough money to buy
the skis.
BUT WAIT: HE ALREADY BOUGHT THE SKIS. He possesses them. The
question becomes even more useless.
Of course this is ultimately a critique on the nature of thought
experiments in general. But I expect as much out of people as I
expect out of myself.
If you asked the question above, and you work in the Industry
and the question actually *MATTERED*? The details would matter.
It wouldn't be algebraic plug and play.
But, as a standard school word problem, I suppose it works. But
I ranted about things like the following in the school
newspaper. I ranted about them at college. I still rant about
them today. Kids aren't wrong when they say, "These are stupid".
They are. Clever, but impractical. American Pragmatist
talking.[2]word_problems
References
Visible links
1.
http://www.lakeshore.wnyric.org/Page/3492
2.
http://icopiedyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/word_problems.jpg
