Minecraft player uses redstone calculator to solve math homework in-game

The Minecraft community has a propensity to use redstone machines for a wide range of tasks, some of which aren't necessarily found within the game itself. Such was the case for u/IknowRedstone on Reddit, who recently shared their redstone calculator to "solve their math homework," using lectern pages, redstone comparators, and redstone lamps to illuminate equation solutions.

Using minecraft to solve my math homework byu/IknowRedstone inMinecraft

It's pretty clear that this basic math "homework" is likely a joke. However, it did demonstrate u/IknowRedstone's redstone calculator functionality, even though the homework in question did say not to use a calculator, which more than a few players pointed out in the comments..

Though that's beside the point, IknowRedstone admitted they do better with hexadecimals than basic math.

IknowRedstone explains how their Minecraft redstone calculator works (Image via Reddit)

IknowRedstone also pointed out that the calculator isn't technically a true binary calculator but uses its redstone comparators in tandem with lectern book pages to perform basic subtraction. Still, the foundation of this redstone calculator is an interesting project, and some suggested that it could be expanded to include additional mathematical operations.

Fans jokingly suggest additional functions for the redstone calculator (Image via Reddit)

If nothing else, this straightforward build demonstrates just how many things Minecraft redstone machinery can accomplish. Sure, it might not be practical to use an in-game subtraction calculator to solve simple subtraction equations, but it does demonstrate for some players, particularly newer ones, just how useful redstone can be in general.

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Creating complex redstone machinery may be Minecraft's true "endgame"

A fully functional 1hz computer built using redstone blocks (Image via Torb/YouTube)

There's no shortage of things to accomplish in Minecraft thanks to its open-ended nature. While many players have their own idea of what the endgame of the sandbox title looks like, one could certainly make the argument that the true endgame lies in redstone engineering. When all other paths have been exhausted, creating complex redstone machines can often be the ultimate test of skill.

What players have been able to achieve for redstone engineering within the game's framework is nothing short of remarkable, from entire functional computers with working user interfaces to recreations of retro video games. Speedrunning or beating the Ender Dragon in Hardcore Mode is certainly challenging, but the circuit logic required for some redstone machines is on another level.

Due to the requirement of understanding how the game's various redstone blocks interact and how these interactions can be used to simulate computing and other technological and automotive tasks, redstone machine building can be one of the most intense and rewarding experiences. Players have to pull out all the stops and commit to learning and improving, but the rewards can be spectacular.