Math confusion Memes

The eternal confusion of calculus newcomers! The equation shows the chain rule in action, where those aren't fractions but actually derivative notation. Physics students learn this mathematical sleight-of-hand where dv/dx looks like a fraction (and sometimes behaves like one) but represents the rate of change of v with respect to x. The character's bewilderment is the universal reaction of students encountering calculus notation for the first time and thinking "wait, can I just cancel these terms like regular fractions?" Spoiler: sometimes you can, but for reasons that would make your calculus professor have an existential crisis.