You're too much of a mathematician if

In summary, being a mathematician means having a unique way of thinking and communicating, often using technical terms and precise language in everyday conversations. Whether it's defining friends in terms of matrices or laughing at math jokes, mathematicians have a distinct perspective on the world that sets them apart from others. So keep using words like "trivial" and "evident" and enjoy the humor in equations like 0.9999999... = 1. And if you ever attend a Dirac lecture, don't dare ask him a question that sounds more like a statement.
  • #1
Edgardo
706
17
You're too much a mathematician if ...

Hi all,

I thought it would be funny to open a thread like this.
So feel free to post!


You're too much of a mathematician if ...

... if you think that "epsilon < 0" is funny.
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
IF you think? It is funny. :biggrin:
 
  • #3
omg I didn't understand it, thank God..!
 
  • #4
...if you think that the x-component of the vector formed by your instructors mustache is at its largest value at [tex]\cos \theta = 1[/tex]
 
  • #5
... if you think the reason the downtown area is called the center is because everyone commutes there.
 
  • #6
.. you can (finally) tell a doughnut from a coffee mug.
 
  • #7
Thrice said:
.. you can (finally) tell a doughnut from a coffee mug.

Wouldn't you be a normal person if you can do that? :rolleyes:
 
  • #8
Oblef said:
omg I didn't understand it, thank God..!
lol, i didn't understand the first one either

but the others are pretty funny so far
 
  • #9
neutrino said:
Wouldn't you be a normal person if you can do that? :rolleyes:
The "finally" is important.

...if you deny that there can be such a thing as "too much of a mathematician"... and subsequently disappear in a puff of logic.
 
  • #10
Maybe it should've been:

...if you can't tell a doughnut from a coffee mug.
 
  • #11
...if you use the word "trivial" or "evident" more than once a day
 
  • #12
...if you think .999999999=1:tongue2:

<runs and hides>
 
  • #13
Lisa! said:
...if you think .999999999=1:tongue2:

<runs and hides>

You see, now that would be an engineer/physicist.

I presume you meant 0.9999999... = 1. :wink:
 
  • #14
neutrino said:
You see, now that would be an engineer/physicist.

I presume you meant 0.9999999... = 1. :wink:
Oops...no , now that's a real mathematician considring this 1:

You are a mathematician if you say 'A', write 'B' but mean 'C':biggrin:
 
  • #15
If you begin a day to day argument: " For all x such that..."
 
  • #16
Lisa! said:
Oops...no , now that's a real mathematician considring this 1:

You are a mathematician if you say 'A', write 'B' but mean 'C':biggrin:

that one is good
 
  • #17
TeTeC said:
...if you use the word "trivial" or "evident" more than once a day
I would add "there exists" to that list!

My favorite one so far is jimmysnyder's. :approve:
 
  • #18
Lisa! said:
Oops...no , now that's a real mathematician considring this 1:

You are a mathematician if you say 'A', write 'B' but mean 'C':biggrin:

The professors dilemma: He says 'A', he writes 'B', he means 'C', but it should really be 'D'.

Comes from Polya's How to Solve It
 
  • #19
TeTeC said:
...if you use the word "trivial" or "evident" more than once a day
I can't remember it off hand, but there is at least one mathematical term that I use in everyday conversation, because there isn't an 'ordinary' English word that carries precisely the meaning I intend.
 
  • #20
ZioX said:
The professors dilemma: He says 'A', he writes 'B', he means 'C', but it should really be 'D'.

Comes from Polya's How to Solve It
:rofl:
Thanks!

I can't remember it off hand, but there is at least one mathematical term that I use in everyday conversation, because there isn't an 'ordinary' English word that carries precisely the meaning I intend.

Great! You're a real mathematician:approve:
 
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  • #21
libelous contumely! all of it. and i can prove it.
 
  • #22
When you and your friends sit around trying to think about whether there are any foods whose boundary is a surface of genus two.
 
  • #23
Hurkyl said:
I can't remember it off hand, but there is at least one mathematical term that I use in everyday conversation, because there isn't an 'ordinary' English word that carries precisely the meaning I intend.

I use the word "clearly" quite often-- a word I rarely used before studying maths!
 
  • #24
qspeechc said:
If you begin a day to day argument: " For all x such that..."

:rofl: no! save me! It's not just in arguments either; non-mathematical language is just so clunky when one is trying to be precise. I mean, what's the english equivalent of (A+B+C)-(A+B)=(A+C)-(A)=C? The only thing I could come up with was "B cancels" :rolleyes:
 
  • #25
When you begin to define everyone you know in terms of matrices representing their characteristics.
 
  • #26
... if the following happens:

At the question period after a Dirac lecture at the University of Toronto, somebody in the audience remarked: "Professor Dirac, I do not understand how you derived the formula on the top left side of the blackboard."
"This is not a question," snapped Dirac, "it is a statement. Next question, please."
 
  • #27
Edgardo said:
... if the following happens:

At the question period after a Dirac lecture at the University of Toronto, somebody in the audience remarked: "Professor Dirac, I do not understand how you derived the formula on the top left side of the blackboard."
"This is not a question," snapped Dirac, "it is a statement. Next question, please."
Alex Trebek is too much of a mathematician?
 
  • #28
BobG said:
Alex Trebek is too much of a mathematician?

Yes, he is :biggrin:
 
  • #29
  • #30
Hurkyl said:
I can't remember it off hand, but there is at least one mathematical term that I use in everyday conversation, because there isn't an 'ordinary' English word that carries precisely the meaning I intend.


I find I use "if and only if"
 
  • #31
if you don't think of ice cream anymore when you hear someone say, "(a variable) over pi"
 
  • #32
write pi as a infinite series...
 
  • #33
Lisa! said:
Oops...no , now that's a real mathematician considring this 1:

You are a mathematician if you say 'A', write 'B' but mean 'C':biggrin:


What if I say 'A', write 'B' but mean 'A', then I'm too much of a ...?
 

1. What does it mean to be "too much of a mathematician"?

Being "too much of a mathematician" means that you have a strong passion and dedication for mathematics and often prioritize it above other aspects of your life.

2. How do you know if you're too much of a mathematician?

You may be considered "too much of a mathematician" if you constantly think about math, have a strong desire to solve complex problems, and spend a significant amount of time studying and practicing math.

3. Is being "too much of a mathematician" a bad thing?

It depends on the individual and their personal goals. Being passionate about math can lead to a successful career in the field, but it may also mean sacrificing other interests and hobbies.

4. Can someone become "too much of a mathematician"?

Yes, it is possible for someone to become "too much of a mathematician" if they become overly obsessed with math and neglect other important aspects of their life, such as relationships and self-care.

5. How can someone balance being a mathematician with other aspects of their life?

It is important for individuals who are passionate about math to also prioritize their physical and mental well-being, maintain healthy relationships, and pursue other interests outside of mathematics. Setting boundaries and taking breaks from math can also help maintain a healthy balance.

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