A Few Things About Everything (Part 6) Quiz

Answer: Quadratic equation

An equation contains at least one unknown variable and has the equal sign (=).
"Quadratic" comes from the Latin "quadratus" which means "square". The equation ax^2 + bx + c = 0 is a quadratic equation where x (the unknown) is elevated to the second power (or square) and a, b, c are the constants. It is always equal to zero.

In a "quadratic" with real coefficients the unknown can have two roots if the discriminant (b^2 - 4ac) is positive, only one if the discriminant is zero, and no real root if the discriminant is negative. However with a negative discriminant, the roots can be "complex".

Equations are classified by degree, depending on the exponent of the variable. The exponent of x in a quadratic equation is always 2. Equations can be "cubic" (x^3), "quartic" (x^4) and so on. A first degree equation has x to the first power, ie: its exponent is 1, so we don't write it. Example: x + 5 = 14.

The Pythagorean Theorem is: a^2 + b^2 = c^2 (in a right triangle, the area of the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares of the other two sides). It was developed by the Greek mathematician Pythagoras of Samos.

Answer: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatia's capital is Zagreb.
Albania's capital is Tirana.
Macedonia's capital is Skopje.

Sarajevo is the largest city and the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although devastated during the Bosnian War for Independence it has since been reconstructed and is an interesting town to visit for its monuments and its history. Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympic Games.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is bordered by Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia. It is landlocked but has a very small opening (about 5 mi, according to Google Maps) on the Adriatic Sea.

The country has lovely landscapes, forests, lakes and mountains. It offers many tourist attractions, culture and good food.

Answer: Natalie Bassingthwaighte

Natalie Bassingthwaighte was a member of Rogue Traders before going solo, but she also performed duets with Shannon Noll. She released several solo albums such as "1000 Stars", "Alive" and "Someday Soon".

Teresa Palmer is an actress not a singer, and was born in Adelaide. Miranda Kerr is a model, born in Sydney. Emily Browning is also an actress and a singer but she was born in Melbourne.

Answer: Why can't I keep my fingers off you, baby?

"Why can't I keep my fingers off you, baby?" is the correct answer featuring Beyoncé in her song "Drunk in Love"!

Answer: Gynoecious

Okay let's clear this out. Normally, a plant has both carpels and stamens. If it has only carpels, it is "Gynoecious". If it has only stamens then it is "Androecious".

Respectively: from the Greek "gyne" = female, woman, and "andros" = male, man. The other two options don't exist. Now, to make it easier, stamens are male and surround the carpels (also called Gynoecium) which are female. Looks like human reproduction is a lot more simple!

Answer: The Munich Pact

Also known as the "Munich Agreement", the pact was signed by England, France, Italy and Germany at the Munich conference. Czechoslovakia was not present. It was a diplomatic attempt at appeasing Hitler by letting him annex over-the-border "Sudetenland" inhabited by German speakers whom he (Hitler) claimed belonged to the Reich. Needless to say the pact was a total failure.

Answer: My vertebral column

"Spondyloarthropathy" is a joint disease affecting the vertebrae. That term includes "spondylarthritis" when there is an inflammation of the joints between the vertebrae, "spondylolisthesis " when there is a forward displacement of a vertebra, ie: a vertebra slides onto another, as well as "spondylopathy" which is a disease of the vertebra itself.

"Spondylo", "spondyl" comes from the Greek meaning "vertebra".

Answer: Paris

It is located on the "Ile aux Cygnes" (Swans Island) in Paris. Both statues were made by Auguste Bartholdi (with the help of Gustave Eiffel), and assembled in France. The larger version was offered to the USA as a token of friendship between France and the USA. You can find pictures of the smaller version with the Eiffel Tower in the background if you do a search using: "Statue de la Liberté Paris".

Answer: Raptors

The osprey is also known as a seahawk; it loves fish and preys on them. A common name for "raptors" is "bird of prey". Eagles, falcons, vultures, owls and a few others fall into that category.

The other three families are not birds of prey. As a few examples: sparrows and nightingales are passerines; crows belong to the Corvidae family, ducks and geese are waterfowl.

Answer: Vernon Sanders Law

Born in 1930, Vernon S. Law was a very successful American baseball pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates before his career came to a term due to a serious injury to his ankle. The injury never healed. He kept playing, nevertheless, but due to his weak ankle he tore muscles in his back.
And apparently, he was something of a philosopher, too.

Answer: The Loo Sanction

The Loo Sanction is actually a sequel to the Eiger Sanction and was written by Trevanian (Rodney William Whitaker). Jonathan Hemlock (the hero) wants to go into retirement, but the Loo department of British Intelligence tasks him with locating a set of secret films that incriminate a number of high-ranking British officials.

The culprit? A top underworld figure who delights in debauchery and torture. Jonathan is drawn into a network of intrigue and depravity, gets trapped and is forced to attempt one of the most daring escapes.

A thriller very worth reading. Alistair McLean wrote the other three.

Answer: Knights of the Order of Saint John

Also known as Knights Hospitaller, the Order of Saint John was founded both to provide care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims to the Holy Land as well as to attempt to defend the Holy Land from Islamic conquest.

The Knights Templar were another Christian military order, founded in 1120, to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land from being slaughtered almost daily by scores of bandits. They are so called because they were based in a location believed to be on top of the ruins of Solomon's Temple. The other two are fictional.

Answer: The broad stripes and bright stars of the Star Spangled Banner

The Star Spangled Banner is the Amrican national anthem.
Here are the lyrics (first stanza):
"Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave".

The gleam appears in the second stanza, line 5: "Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam".
God bless America!

Answer: Tommy Lee Jones

Tommy Lee Jones helped the film win four Academy Awards with his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the "The Fugitive", as well as helping with many more nominations, and no less than 15 for his role in "Lincoln". Quite notably, he also played the role of Samuel Gerard in "US Marshals" which a sequel to "The Fugitive".

Answer: Breaded veal, fried and served with fresh lemon juice

"Wienerschnitzel" can also be made with chicken or pork although veal is the most common. It is a simple meal, but when cooked to perfection it is very tasty.
I am not too sure about the other options but if one is willing to experiment... well, why not?