18 Nov '17 19:11>9 edits
This is a maths problem that I found slightly interesting and which I have actually encountered during in my current research;
Suppose you want to know what x is when you know
x = y / (a + b + c + d )
BUT you don't know the values of y or a or b or c or d (or x).
BUT you DO know the values of the fractions y/a and y/b and y/c and y/d.
So you DO know the values p and q and r and s where you know;
p = y/a
q = y/b
r = y/c
s = y/d
What is the formula for x in terms of the known p and q and r and s ?
In other words, what is required is;
x = RHS
where RHS is a formula that ONLY contains the variables p and q and r and s.
Would you naturally think no such formula exists (so you cannot know the value of x) because of insufficient information?
Suppose you want to know what x is when you know
x = y / (a + b + c + d )
BUT you don't know the values of y or a or b or c or d (or x).
BUT you DO know the values of the fractions y/a and y/b and y/c and y/d.
So you DO know the values p and q and r and s where you know;
p = y/a
q = y/b
r = y/c
s = y/d
What is the formula for x in terms of the known p and q and r and s ?
In other words, what is required is;
x = RHS
where RHS is a formula that ONLY contains the variables p and q and r and s.
Would you naturally think no such formula exists (so you cannot know the value of x) because of insufficient information?