Where is the first floor?

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Code: 
Real Numbers    GB    US
     2           2     3
     1           1     2
     0          GF     1
    -1          L1    L1
    -2          L2    L2

When a building has no levels below ground the level numbers are scalar, or unipolar, ie. all values are in the same direction from a fixed point. All three systems above work for this scenario. Interestingly (!) the GB & US systems require an implicit zero in order to satisfy the set theory conditions for addition. Zero is the additive identity. The US & GB systems are mappings.

If the building has levels below and above ground the numbers are vectors, or bipolar, ie. there are two directions from the fixed point. Zero is then absolutely necessary as it is the state of 'neither direction'. In this scenario the real numbers work perfectly. The GB system maps zero to GF but the US system can not map anything to zero without losing ordinality. Consequently, according to additive fields in set theory, you can't add or subtract floors so you are stuck on ground... or 1 or whatever :D

Practically, however, it is hard to imagine a situation where a person might have real problems with any system.

SNOOGINS :cool:
 
^ The Americans have it right don't they

Like the spelling of Center

Perhaps that's why a few forum members say Mom rather than Mum. I might give that a try actually

I'm seeing Mom tonight, wonder what she would think
 
glen8 said:
That's simply not how it works

the floor is an ITEM, it exists. When Nestle make kitkats, the first one off the production line is ONE. Not ZERO.

When a builder builds a house, the first floor he lays is ONE. The first floor. If the house isn't a bungalow, then the next floor he puts down is the second floor.

You can call it the ground "floor" if you like, but it's number one.

ZERO means a floor doesn't exist
Click to expand...

Going by that logic, the lowest basement floor of a building should be 1 and all floors counted up from there.

Clearly that isn't the case so you must be mistaken.

The floor concurrent with ground level is the datum, hence being designated 0 and floors above and below that are numbered sequentially.
 
Squark said:
Going by that logic, the lowest basement floor of a building should be 1 and all floors counted up from there.

Clearly that isn't the case so you must be mistaken.

The floor concurrent with ground level is the datum, hence being designated 0 and floors above and below that are numbered sequentially.
Click to expand...

No, because a basement can be added after the first floor has been laid. My house could have a basement added to it (at great cost obviously).

This is why the American system works so well
 
Tuppy_Glossop said:
Code: 
Real Numbers    GB    US
     2           2     3
     1           1     2
     0          GF     1
    -1          L1    L1
    -2          L2    L2

When a building has no levels below ground the level numbers are scalar, or unipolar, ie. all values are in the same direction from a fixed point. All three systems above work for this scenario. Interestingly (!) the GB & US systems require an implicit zero in order to satisfy the set theory conditions for addition. Zero is the additive identity. The US & GB systems are mappings.

If the building has levels below and above ground the numbers are vectors, or bipolar, ie. there are two directions from the fixed point. Zero is then absolutely necessary as it is the state of 'neither direction'. In this scenario the real numbers work perfectly. The GB system maps zero to GF but the US system can not map anything to zero without losing ordinality. Consequently, according to additive fields in set theory, you can't add or subtract floors so you are stuck on ground... or 1 or whatever :D

Practically, however, it is hard to imagine a situation where a person might have real problems with any system.

SNOOGINS :cool:
Click to expand...

Very well put. It's essentially what I was trying to explain. The GB system is just fine and logical.

However the American system makes no sense, therefore I conclude that Americans are stupid and can't count! :D

/thread
 
glen8 said:
a floor is still a floor be it marble, concrete, wood

a chocolate bar is still a chocolate bar be it bounty, mars, snickers

when I fall over, do I not fall on the floor?
Click to expand...

I thought we were talking apples?

Just when the thread seemed to fnally be making progress, someone has to go back to Mars bars :rolleyes:
 
what's wrong with mars bars?

ok, so they are half the size and twice as expensive as those in the 80s.....but still a decent chocolate bar

a mars a day, helps you work, rest and play!

or should it be work, rest or play!

How can you work, rest and play at the same time
 
glen8 said:
what's wrong with mars bars?

ok, so they are half the size and twice as expensive as those in the 80s.....but still a decent chocolate bar

a mars a day, helps you work, rest and play!

or should it be work, rest or play!

How can you work, rest and play at the same time
Click to expand...

Nowhere does it say "work, rest and play .......at the same time"
 
glen8 said:
No, because a basement can be added after the first floor has been laid. My house could have a basement added to it (at great cost obviously).

This is why the American system works so well
Click to expand...
You completely ignored the point I was making.

Either system supports the addition of floors, be they above or below ground, that wasn't the point.

What if it was built from the lowest basement floor upwards?
By your logic that basement floor should be floor 1 and there would be no 'minus' floors.
This simply isn't the case.
 
glen8 said:
No, because a basement can be added after the first floor has been laid. My house could have a basement added to it (at great cost obviously).
Click to expand...

The basement could also be the first floor which is built, so why shouldn't it be called the first floor?

glen8 said:
This is why the American system works so well
Click to expand...

You mean this is why the American system lacks consistency and breeds confusion?
 
You are confusing the use of numerics as a measurement, against the number of floors built in order.

The builder puts the FIRST floor down. That is floor number one. You can label it what you like, the fact is that is the FIRST FLOOR.

If you want to call it secret underground NSA spying floor, so be it.....it will still be the first floor
 
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glen8 said:
You are confusing the use of numerics as a measurement, against the number of floors built in order.

The builder puts the FIRST floor down. That is floor number one. You can label it what you like, the fact is that is the FIRST FLOOR.

If you you to call it secret underground NSA spying floor, so be it.....it will still be the first floor
Click to expand...

If you are using numbers to label a floor then you are using a numeric system, therefore, should follow the rules.

In any building the foundation is the first "floor" a builder puts down, a lot of houses these days have a "suspended" floor, meaning there is a gap between the ground floor at the actual floor underneath.

So in the US system, you are actually going into the house on the 2nd floor !
 
glen8 said:
You are confusing the use of numerics as a measurement, against the number of floors built in order.

The builder puts the FIRST floor down. That is floor number one. You can label it what you like, the fact is that is the FIRST FLOOR.

If you want to call it secret underground NSA spying floor, so be it.....it will still be the first floor
Click to expand...

You still didn't get it.
 
Squark said:
You still didn't get it.
Click to expand...

so if I build a house, how can I do anything other than put a floor down first?

You can't build a second floor first.....well, I guess you could get a time machine jump forward a week and lay your first floor second.....but in doing so, would there be a first floor as you have jumped over that week?
 
glen8 said:
so if I build a house, how can I do anything other than put a floor down first?

You can't build a second floor first.....well, I guess you could get a time machine jump forward a week and lay your first floor second.....but in doing so, would there be a first floor as you have jumped over that week?
Click to expand...

You put down the FOUNDATION first, which the house sits on.

Some houses you put down the basement first.
 
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