parabolas
A mathmatical graph originated by the ancient greeks some two thousand years ago and still inflicted upon unsuspecting high school students today. Vastly inferior to the hyperbola, of course.
Example:
Math geek: I'm not merely eccentric, I'm a parabola!
Math teacher: now, class, graph this equation on your TI-83 calculators and tell me what kind of parabola it is.
Class: *groans*
Math geek: I'm not merely eccentric, I'm a parabola!
Math teacher: now, class, graph this equation on your TI-83 calculators and tell me what kind of parabola it is.
Class: *groans*