From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 2016 19:41:30 GMT
Subject: Re: [PATCH] pass constants as first argument to st_mult()
Message-ID: <CAPc5daVABao1UZdPk0BnJNkTtYYV74Tw_0CZ9-uj9sK92h+x7g@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <20160803191334.jflia6cqxqx2uqjx@sigill.intra.peff.net>

On Wed, Aug 3, 2016 at 12:13 PM, Jeff King <peff@peff.net> wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 01, 2016 at 03:31:45PM -0700, Junio C Hamano wrote:
>
> I think in my head I rewrite any multiplication like "N of M" as having
> "N" as the smaller number. I.e., it is conceptually simpler to me to
> count five 30's, then 30 five's (even though I do not implement it in my
> head as a sequence of additions, of course; I'd probably do that
> particular case as "half of ten 30's").
>
> I have no idea if that's cultural or not, though.

Now, when you say "count five 30's", which one do you have
in mind? 5x30, or 30x5?

If you meant the former, I think that _is_ cultural. I am pretty
sure that I was taught in school(s) to read 5x30 as adding 5
thirty times.