Astronomy clicker question: alien math and the incommensurability problem

Astronomy 10, Spring Semester 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Astronomy 10 learning goal F.3

Students were asked the following clicker question (Classroom Performance System, einstruction.com) near the end of their learning cycle (and just after an in-class activity on BETI).

[0.3 points.] What is the answer to the anticoded message shown above?
(A) 9.
(B) 23.
(C) 25.
(D) 120.

Correct answer: (B)

This is based on the octal counting system and mathematical operators defined in the presumptive Arcturus Project alien message.

The inner curved brackets represent the multiplication operator acting on 3 and 5, and the outer straight brackets represent the next order addition operator acting on 8 and 15, resulting in 23, as demonstrated in the previous in-class activity on BETI.

Student responses
Section 4160
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 13 students

Section 5166
(A) : 5 students
(B) : 30 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 8 students