Recent content by blerg

I'm looking for an introductory book for knot theory. I have background in topology and algebraic topology. I would prefer a more sophisticated treatment, but I have no previous knowledge.

Wow what a great website. Though I'm glad I didn't know about 3 months ago otherwise I might have been looking at it every day.

I am a senior deciding between graduate schools right now. I have heard back from all programs but one (I know this program has sent out both acceptances and rejections). I have sent this program two emails, one two weeks ago and another last week, but I have yet to hear a response. I was...

Ok so I'll have to cut it down. So does this mean everyone thinks that my ~1500 statement which I have been submitting to other places (without limits) is too long?

I'm currently filling our applications and one of the applications requires a statement of purpose of "approximately 1000 words." The one I have written is currently 1500 words so it obviously has to be trimmed down. But as 1000 words is not a strict cap, I was wondering what a reasonable amount...

Thank you very much! You also solved the mystery of where I read that...that is the book I first learned abstract algebra from! We'll see if the anecdote actually makes it into my personal statement. Figured it was something funny without trying to be too funny.

I remember hearing a story about a mathematician who was legendarily prolific; so much so that he described his honeymoon as being one of the most unproductive times in this life because he only wrote one paper. I wanted to include this story in my personal statement for grad school...

Thanks for the advice. I suppose the stress only gets worse from here.

I am hoping to apply to graduate schools in mathematics this fall, and I am in the process of deciding where I'm going to apply. I have a 3.95 GPA (overall and in math). I go to a top 30 math school. I've taken upper division in pretty much every topic (about 15 undergraduate) and have taken...

Here is my situation: I am a junior math major at a well-respected (top 25) math university. This semester I'm taking two graduate level courses: topology I and real analysis I. I'm doing well in topology, but I'm struggling a but in analysis. I'm probably in the B+ range right now (perhaps...

Homework Statement Show that x_n = \left(1 + \frac{1}{n}\right)^{n+1} is decreasing and bounded below Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I have tried all sorts of things and none some to be working. I tried expanding it using the binomial theorem, but there are more...

This is just plain false. Linear Algebra and elementary DE are intimately related and in many universities (though not mine) combine introductions to both into once course. There are many things you need linear algebra for in DE, even at a basic level.

just be aware that graduate schools will see both of your scores

Welcome from a fellow Stony Brook student and someone who just completed an REU! An REU is a great experience and I would make every effort to get into one. You can certainly get into an REU as a freshmen, although it is very difficult. I know someone who got into Texas A&M's program as a...

The biggest thing about compactness that I have come across is that for a compact set, results that hold locally also hold globally. For example, local boundedness on a compact set implies global boundedness for the whole set. Other properties follow the same idea.