What's wrong here?

[Sidoh]

For those of you that are more mathematically inclined (*cough* MyndFyre/iago): please don't reply until the answer's been posted.  Thanks!

[deadly7]

This should be in riddles, sorta.. Logic ~ Riddles, in a sense.
Since I know the answer (sidoh told me, I got semi close though) I can't post it.

[Blaze]

[ROT13]
Gjb qbrfa'g rdhny bar..?  V qba'g haqrefgnaq gur dhrfgvba irel jryy..
[/ROT13]

[Sidoh]

I actually considered that, but I figured it was okay in General.  It does make more sense here, so I moved it. :)

[Quik]

Should we not post if it's blatantly obvious?

[Sidoh]

[ROT13]
Gjb qbrfa'g rdhny bar..?  V qba'g hackrefgnaq gur dhrfgvba irel jryy..
[/ROT13]

Of course two doesn't equal one, but I provided proof!  What's wrong with the proof?

Should we not post if it's blatantly obvious?

Sure, go for it.

[Nate]

n zvahf o rdhnyf 0.  Lbh pna abg qvivqr ol mreb.  yvar frira

[Sidoh]

n zvahf o rdhnyf 0.  Lbh pna abg qvivqr ol mreb.  yvar frira

It's a combination of the first and the second to the last lines.  (a - b)/(a -b) in itself is just fine, but since a = b, it's illegal.  Correct. :)

[Chavo]

A friend of mine (a Math major if you couldn't guess) often uses this as his away message :)

[Joe]

Two never equals one. =p

EDIT -
Read the ROT13's. Someone turn on the right to delete your own posts in this forum! =)

[Sidoh]

Two never equals one. =p

EDIT -
Read the ROT13's. Someone turn on the right to delete your own posts in this forum! =)

It's not intuitively obvious; that's why it makes a good away message.  It even confused Lihao (foreign exchange student from China) who's already had two years of calculus.

[Nate]

Its really simple but its kinda like a visual illusion.  Your so amazed that they could prove a=b to be false that its hard to find the error.

[Sidoh]

Its really simple but its kinda like a visual illusion.  Your so amazed that they could prove a=b to be false that its hard to find the error.

Of course it's simple.  Most things are simple once you understand the answer.  The term "complicated" (which is an acceptable antonym for "simple," I think) describes something beyond one's comprehension or is barely understandable.  I don't think anyone here would have a problem understanding [a - b = 0] when [a = b].  It becomes simple / obvious after the connection between those two statements are made; until then, it is not intuitively obvious.

If your brain is run by any sort of logic, you'll realize that there's obviously something wrong with this system.  If you're interested or at least persistent, it's a matter of minutes (or seconds, even) of re-reading the equations.  The people who don't figure it out are the ones who decide it's impossible for them to understand.

[Newby]

My mom got this her first try around. Damnit.

[Sidoh]

My mom got this her first try around. Damnit.

Anyone who knows elementary properties of algebra and mathematics will if they don't give up easily. ;)