Risqué Math Cartoons

 @pickover on 9/23/24

What about a math joke that could in itself be treated as a kind of math joke? A so-called metamath joke.

Admit it! It’s not uncommon that sometimes it takes a while before you can get a math joke, especially if it relies on some basic knowledge of advanced or abstract (or abstruse) math.

Experiencing that aha! takes a little longer. For novices, a mature or sophisticated math joke wouldn’t spark much mathematical joy in them—it seems or sounds more like a boring math textbook or a vanilla math teacher than anything else.

Of course, there are some math jokes that are open to different interpretations, especially those bordering on poking fun at “oft-proudly self-professed nonmath” or semi-innumerate folks, which may arguably be perceived as being elitist, racist, or sexist (or all three) in some illiberal or puritan circles.

Cartoon by Mike Seddon

MAGA Math (or Haiti Math?)

Below are two political math jokes I recently X-ed in the aftermath of racist rhetoric perpetrated or repeated by a white supremacist, who once proudly self-proclaimed to be the “least racist person on the planet.”

Political Algebra: A MAGA equation that could lead to the loss of millions of conservative votes, as people have had enough of racist or nativist language, which divides rather than unites a polarized nation.

An equation à la Trump

Dog Math: How not to submit your math homework—thanks to Trump and Vance and MAGA ambassadors of bigotry, who forget that they themselves are the offspring of immigrants. Estimate how many millions of kids would get away from this racist excuse.

My Dog Stole My Homework (Again)

These days, it’s getting harder to share a math joke or a quasi-clean limerick without being labeled with all kinds of four-, five-, or six-letter adjectives in the “cancel culture” or “woke” world we live in.

Are the days of adult or mature math jokes numbered? Is vintage recreational math found in out-of-print math puzzles titles, periodicals, or journals—which is often inarguably colonialist, racist, or supremacist—heading the way of the dodo?

Humorously & irreverently yours

© Yan Kow Cheong, September 27, 2024.

Facebook’s “UK Best Jokes & Puns” (Feb. 13)

Is Age Just a Number?

Cartoon © Anon. (being memeified)

I admit that I’m guilty of ageism, but I make zero apologies for exposing criminality or hypocrisy, especially among (past and present) heads of state.

For the majority of us, oft-reluctant law-abiding citizens of the world, few would admit that the criminal mind is a “creative” mind in disguise—one that we’d learn a thing or two from if we put aside our prejudices.

A Tale of Two Senior Presidential Candidates

What are the odds that the world might soon witness a presidential debate between a patient and a prisoner? If reelected, could either folk serve his full term?

Arguably, we’ve two power-hungry weak “leaders” that America could do without—when both seniors should be grandfathering (or con-sulting) rather than mis-leading or weakening the country for another four years (assuming their Creator doesn’t call them before their term is due).

Cartoon by Rick McKee (@Rick_McKee_Ink)

An Age Limit for Presidency

If the present president and his predecessor are too old to competently serve the challenges or demands of another term, shouldn’t lawmakers pass a constitutional law that no elected president shall be of a certain age on the date of inauguration?

What should that age limit be so that voters feel comfortable that any elected presidential candidate would fulfill his or her responsibilities of office? 65, 70, 75, or some other age?

Bitter Root ≡ Better Fruit?

If a bad tree can’t produce good fruit, it’s preposterous to see millions of voters expect a serial dishonest or corrupt “I-me-myself” candidate to deliver them from their years-old financial, social, and religious ills.

The theological or political argument that voters shouldn’t put too much emphasis on a candidate’s past manifold wrongs (who’s continually denied any wrongdoings) to assess or judge him sounds dangerously frightening. Understandably, the criteria to electing a president must be much lower than those used to choosing a pope. Really?

Cartoon by @DennisGoris (buff.ly/3VlEyaz)

King Saul 2.0

What are the chances that in Biden or Trump, we’d be witnessing a modern-day version of King Saul, whose rule would be cut short? Would those mostly morally bankrupt or corrupt appointees, who condone their lies and falsehoods, expect to operate in a blessed political environment? It looks more likely that political entropy would be the new normal come January 2025.

In politics, irrationality and hypocrisy often prove that a string of wrongs has near-zero bearing on the electability of a corrupt or rogue politician.

When one senior isn’t much younger than the other, the choice isn’t that difficult. You choose the one with (more) character, humility, and honesty. Voting for the alternative is flirting with ineptitude, dishonesty, and chaos—more pain and suffering for the majority of the population, who expect their next president to behave more like a priest or pope.

US Math: An Age Problem

Let’s end with a birthday joke on the two most senior presidential candidates in U.S. politics:

Q: Why even their diehard supporters see both Biden and Trump as old, who should be banned from taking part in a presidential election again?

A: At their last birthday, the candles cost more than the cake.

Electorally yours

© Yan Kow Cheong, June 27, 2024.

Creativity or Stupidity?

This week, I saw this attached (grade one?) test item or math meme on Facebook, which was initially posted by “The Language Nerds” group.

Based on the multiple comments to this ill-posed math question, it’s amusing, yet also disturbing, to read that most responders are praising the student for his “creative” answer, or criticizing the “uncreative” teacher for penalizing the poor child.

In this postmodern or polarized world we’re living in, you’d think that maybe only someone who’s a “very stable genius” would rationalize or argue that the student’s response qualifies as one of the equally valid answers. And if the biased teacher insisted on marking the creative child wrong, the parents might consider suing him or her for giving their son an undeserved zero.

Creative or Uncreative Comments

Below are some netizens’ replies to the math question from “Maths Jokes Daily,” which range from the hilarious to the ridiculous to the preposterous.

I think because the circles weren't closed properly 🤔

honestly think its possible for most people to understand what you are supposed to do here, so I would definetely argue that this is not a badly formed question :)

Were the correct answers 1.39, 2.17 and 3.96 ?

He got it wrong because he marked 3 numbers, and the question only asked for one, so the right answer is 15

He provided 3 right answers. He identified the smallest number in each row disregarding the periods and commas. LOL !

He circled 3 numbers. Number 1 is the smallest number and therefore should have only selected the 1 single number.

Also, why did the teacher put 3 lowercase "alpha" symbols?🤣

it’s evident smallest number and not smallest numberS so he should have circled only 1

Because he only circles 1 but not 1.39 Same with others

The fault lies entirely with the fool that numbered the questions with Roman Numerals and then used 1, 2, 3 instead of a, b, c

That kid is already smarter than the teacher.

Thats at least .5 for thinking outside the box

? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! 

Would you side with the teacher or the student? How would you respond to the “wrong” answer to this ill-posed or improperly posed question?

Creatively or uncritically yours

© Yan Kow Cheong, May 19, 2023.