just a hypothetical question...not questioning anybody's qualification..but my mother always asks me whenever she sees me on this site...how can i make sure that what the users are teaching is correct? do we have any ways of verifying their teachings?

Question

trancenova · Answer

As I see it, there isn't really - unless they provide you with a reference - you could always ask for one if you want one - otherwise I figure it is verified by the volume of other people viewing it. If it is wrong someone would say something so in that sense they are "peer reviewed".

lgbasallote · Answer

hah makes sense...wished those things make sense to mothers too :/ all they see is you chatting..they dont see you tutoring others or learning -____-

trancenova · Answer

Hahaha, that is sometimes the way it is :P You could always get her to join ;P

lgbasallote · Answer

hah that would be the day that the crow's feathers become white :P

trancenova · Answer

Haha there are white crows you know!! Lol, you could show her some of the helping you have been doing (I'm sure there is plenty there).

lgbasallote · Answer

well then when the raven's feathers become white :P

lgbasallote · Answer

im hoping ravens $\ne$ crows

trancenova · Answer

Haha, you would be correct! Though lets hope for you there aren't any white ravens :P http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied_Raven

carniel · Answer

Well thats why people prove the answers =D

trancenova · Answer

Exactly! That does work for maths anyway..

lgbasallote · Answer

are there any black birds that have feathers that dont go white >.< AHA! BLACKBIRDS!!! im sure there are no white blackbirds...that would be oxymoronic

trancenova · Answer

I couldn't find a white one! but I found a yellow one, does that count? http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/learn/identification/blackbirds/yellow-headed-blackbird.php

trancenova · Answer

...though I should probably stop hijacking your thread, especially after what happened the other week :/

farmdawgnation · Answer

You could always explain how SmartScore works. ;)

inkyvoyd · Answer

Well, the nice thing about community powered question sites is that there's more than one answer, more than one answerer, and more than one judge of the accuracy of an answer.

inkyvoyd · Answer

Also, I usually crosscheck my answers with another site, like wolfram alpha, or even use mathematica.

lgbasallote · Answer

Well let's say i have two answerers who have contradicting answers and no other answerer or judge...who do i believe?? I thought this argumment over the night haha

inkyvoyd · Answer

You believe wolfram alpha. :D

anonymous · Answer

@inkyvoyd: Wolframalpha is not always right. I have came across several cases where it just lies.

inkyvoyd · Answer

Well, as long as you don't ask anything about the transcendence of sin(1), you should be fine, @FoolForMath

inkyvoyd · Answer

What other errors have you found in it?

anonymous · Answer

Try solving Gauss circle problem.