Question for maths intensive people

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the frequency of chocolate consumption among individuals involved in mathematics, physics, and computer science. Participants share their personal habits and speculate on the relationship between chocolate consumption and cognitive activities related to math-intensive work.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants report eating chocolate infrequently, such as once every few months or a few times a year.
  • Others mention more regular consumption, with some stating they eat chocolate weekly or even daily, often linking it to periods of intense problem-solving.
  • A participant humorously suggests that the question might be indirectly about seminar attendance, referencing free chocolate cookies offered at events.
  • There is speculation about whether non-math-intensive individuals might skew the results of any potential polls on chocolate consumption.
  • Some participants note that chocolate consumption seems common among academics, possibly as a way to relieve stress or enhance focus during intensive work.
  • One participant mentions that chocolate has diminishing effects, comparing it to a meal from KFC, while another raises the idea that dark chocolate may have aphrodisiac properties.
  • Another participant expresses that chocolate is particularly beneficial after unsuccessful mathematical endeavors, suggesting a psychological boost.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a variety of personal habits regarding chocolate consumption, with no clear consensus on its necessity or effects related to mathematical work. Multiple competing views remain regarding the role of chocolate in cognitive performance.

Contextual Notes

Some statements reflect personal experiences and subjective interpretations of chocolate's effects on cognitive performance, which may depend on individual preferences and definitions of consumption frequency.

How often do you eat chocolate per week?

  • 0

    Votes: 8 33.3%
  • 1

    Votes: 5 20.8%
  • 2

    Votes: 4 16.7%
  • 3

    Votes: 3 12.5%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 7

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 7+

    Votes: 2 8.3%

  • Total voters
    24
tgt
Messages
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Reaction score
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Such as students or teachers of maths, physics or computer science...

How often do you eat chocolate?
 
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tgt said:
How often do you eat chocolate?
Once. Once a day, once a week, once a month, once a year and once in a lifetime.
 
About once every 5 months.
 
About once a month.
 
Once.

Once a week, I sit down and eat chocolate for 6 1/2 days straight, then I spend 12 hours evaluating quasirandomly selected hypergeometric functions at integer abscissae.
 
Is he afraid us non-math-intensive people will skew the results in a different direction?
 
Ah ah, I know what you mean. I noticed those free chocolate cookies they give to make people come to the seminars. You are really asking how many seminars we attend per week.
 
Will there be another poll, for non-maths intensive people, just to see if the results are the same?
 
I rarely eat chocolate: a few times a year maybe.
 
  • #10
Moonbear said:
Is he afraid us non-math-intensive people will skew the results in a different direction?

xfoo said:
Will there be another poll, for non-maths intensive people, just to see if the results are the same?

It's just that I see many maths acadmics buying choclate or lollies from the machine. Wondering if it's common to for such behaviour as doing maths is intensive to the brain. Choclate probably helps in some way to relax the brain or even prepare it for intensive work. However the polls aren't suggesting it's essential.
 
  • #11
I voted five, but I only eat chocolate a few times a week. It's nice to have some sugar when you're stuck on a problem...
 
  • #12
Considering that our secretaries had a GIANT (about 12" x 18" x 1/2" thick) candy bar getting slowly devoured in the main office all week, I don't think chocolate is something only mathematicians run to for a mid-afternoon boost.
 
  • #13
What's chocolate? ;)

But honestly, I don't think mathematicians are the only ones who try to (or not to) get their chocolate fix every once in awhile.

I don't really eat chocolate all that often anymore, maybe once every two weeks when I used to eat once or twice a week in the past.
 
  • #14
Unfortunately, chocolate like having a meal at KFC has diminishing effects.
 
  • #15
tgt said:
Unfortunately, chocolate like having a meal at KFC has diminishing effects.
Hold on. Is not dark (85%+) chocolate a good aphrodisiac ?
 
  • #16
after doing a lot of maths and problem-solving, a raisin' chocolate never fails me.
 
  • #17
AhmedEzz said:
after doing a lot of maths and problem-solving, a raisin' chocolate never fails me.

I find that chocolate is more essential before doing mathematical things or after doing some unsuccessful maths. When you are doing successful maths, your brains produce their own stimulus which is much better then chocolate.
 

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