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As I wrapped up another long day of running experiments with only mediocre yields, I prepared to turn off the fume hood and go home. However, before I left, a note caught my eye—my professor had signed it with his name and left it in my locker! Attached is what he wrote on the note. Can you figure out the missing number, and what my professor was trying to tell me?

\begin{array}{c|c|c|c} & \mathbf{1 5} & \mathbf{1 6} & \mathbf{1 7} \\ \hline \mathbf{2} & -1.4 & ? & 3.2 \\ \hline \mathbf{3} & 2.1 & -2.8 & -5.9 \end{array}

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Hint:

The numbers in the table are physical constants.

As I wrapped up another long day of running experiments with only mediocre yields, I prepared to turn off the fume hood and go home. However, before I left, a note caught my eye—my professor had signed it with his name and left it in my locker! Attached is what he wrote on the note. Can you figure out the missing number, and what my professor was trying to tell me?

\begin{array}{c|c|c|c} & \mathbf{1 5} & \mathbf{1 6} & \mathbf{1 7} \\ \hline \mathbf{2} & -1.4 & ? & 3.2 \\ \hline \mathbf{3} & 2.1 & -2.8 & -5.9 \end{array}

Here's a markdown version:

Hint:

The numbers in the table are physical constants.

Hint 2:

The constants in the table are very particular base-ten logarithms, which are relevant to the theme of the puzzle.

As I wrapped up another long day of running experiments with only mediocre yields, I prepared to turn off the fume hood and go home. However, before I left, a note caught my eye—my professor had signed it with his name and left it in my locker! Attached is what he wrote on the note. Can you figure out the missing number, and what my professor was trying to tell me?

\begin{array}{c|c|c|c} & \mathbf{1 5} & \mathbf{1 6} & \mathbf{1 7} \\ \hline \mathbf{2} & -1.4 & ? & 3.2 \\ \hline \mathbf{3} & 2.1 & -2.8 & -5.9 \end{array}

Here's a markdown version:

As I wrapped up another long day of running experiments with only mediocre yields, I prepared to turn off the fume hood and go home. However, before I left, a note caught my eye—my professor had signed it with his name and left it in my locker! Attached is what he wrote on the note. Can you figure out the missing number, and what my professor was trying to tell me?

\begin{array}{c|c|c|c} & \mathbf{1 5} & \mathbf{1 6} & \mathbf{1 7} \\ \hline \mathbf{2} & -1.4 & ? & 3.2 \\ \hline \mathbf{3} & 2.1 & -2.8 & -5.9 \end{array}

Here's a markdown version:

Hint:

The numbers in the table are physical constants.

As I wrapped up another long day of running experiments with only mediocre yields, I prepared to turn off the fume hood and go home. However, before I left, a note caught my eye—my professor had signed it with his name and left it in my locker! Attached is what he wrote on the note. Can you figure out the missing number, and what my professor was trying to tell me?

\begin{array}{c|c|c|c} & \mathbf{1 5} & \mathbf{1 6} & \mathbf{1 7} \\ \hline \mathbf{2} & -1.4 & ? & 3.2 \\ \hline \mathbf{3} & 2.1 & -2.8 & -5.9 \end{array}

As I wrapped up another long day of running experiments with only mediocre yields, I prepared to turn off the fume hood and go home. However, before I left, a note caught my eye—my professor had signed it with his name and left it in my locker! Attached is what he wrote on the note. Can you figure out the missing number, and what my professor was trying to tell me?

\begin{array}{c|c|c|c} & \mathbf{1 5} & \mathbf{1 6} & \mathbf{1 7} \\ \hline \mathbf{2} & -1.4 & ? & 3.2 \\ \hline \mathbf{3} & 2.1 & -2.8 & -5.9 \end{array}

Here's a markdown version: