Log-jammin’

Krack does not like logarithms. Apparently, he is not convinced of their utility and considers them overrated. He does not see why they should exist or be used when all they do is provide an easy way out to solving a problem. While John Napier was unavailable for comment (he’s been dead about four hundred years), the Maths majors Doga and Lao had a few issues with the validity of that thesis. But they let it slide, sensing the potential for comedic fodder.

So, earlier today, Doga, Lao, Vats and Krack are smoking when talk shifts to the humanitarian and economic crisis in Zimbabwe. With inflation estimated at 231 million percent (in July), and the recent printing of 100,000,000,000,000 Zimbabwean dollar notes (that’s the denomination, not the number of notes printed) which are expected to become worthless in a few days, they’re not having fun in Zimbabwe. But Doga was intent on having fun with Krack. The following conversation (more or less) ensues:

Doga: Dude, inflation in Zimbabwe is really out of control. Did you know that they are now using the log scale for economic transactions?

Krack: (oblivious to a grinning Lao) Are you kidding me? They’ve gone back to the barter system?

Now Doga and Lao are confused. They look at each other quizzically for a few seconds before requesting clarification.

Doga and Lao: (together) What barter system?

Krack: (looking confused) You know, what you were just saying. With logs. Lakdi.

Doga and Lao finally got it (‘it’ being the direction Krack was heading in, not his definition of the barter system), and started laughing. And since a fun story bears repeating, almost everyone else heard of the log scale too. And they laughed too. After enjoying a particularly hearty laugh at Krack’s expense, the engineer in Vats finally awakes, and he asks Doga the doubt that has been nagging him since the beginning of the story: ‘Does that mean that they now use powers of e on their currency notes?’

PS: This conversation really took place. The dialogue has been mostly made up, though.

PPS: Krack’s alternative to solving problems using logarithms: ‘Use a calculator’.