Crunching Numbers

Guest   Sun Mar 25, 2007 12:29 pm GMT
could you tell me, please, what it means ? (Crunching numbers) ? there is nowhere to be found (a definition I mean)

thx
Sarcastic Northwesterner   Sun Mar 25, 2007 2:23 pm GMT
It means to solve mathematical equations.
Josh Lalonde   Sun Mar 25, 2007 2:26 pm GMT
It is also often used for analyzing data, or just adding up long columns of numbers. I think it implies that the actual work isn't very hard, but that it is long and tedious.
Andy   Sun Mar 25, 2007 3:22 pm GMT
I'm an Accountant so I do "number crunching" every day. I reckon that's my job description.
Guest   Sun Mar 25, 2007 5:02 pm GMT
well, that is exactly what i found in a dictionary, however it seems more like adjective and I dont really see it here ... let me give you a passage from an artickle:

"Surely crunching numbers can't explain this kind of detailed description of a place you've never seen before but .... "
Guest   Sun Mar 25, 2007 6:55 pm GMT
Simply replace "crunching numbers" with Josh's definition, and whaddya get, eh?

"Surely crunching numbers can't explain this kind of detailed description of a place you've never seen before but .... " --> Surely analyzing data can't explain this kind of detailed description of a place you've never seen before but