Why Do Some Mathematicians Struggle with Basic Math?

[The Bob]

Oh, yes, I think this is a pretty easy question and I also know how to get the answer by the method required, and that is because I was being forced to do so for thousands of times (of course not that much) in my Chinese high school chemistry... and I guess this might be the reason that I am not good at series and integration...

I know. You can see this as a Chemistry question if you wish but really it is simple maths with a little chemical know how.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[The Bob]

Sure, though I'm not into chemistry very much.

Try working the chemistry out. It is really very, very simple. Also I hate it when people cannot do simultaneous equations. They are so simple.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[gravenewworld]

Honestly when it comes to arithmetic I suck. I never balance my check book. I just go to the atm and look at the balance. I am extremely lazy when it comes to arithmetic, I always use a calculator to add and subtract things, not because I don't want to, but because it is a waste of time doing the same thing over and over again that you already know how to do. As my high school calc teacher always said, "Good mathematicians are notoriously lazy."

 

[JasonRox]

For my arithmetics, I atleast get a good approximation. I'm not a fan of pulling out calculators.

 

[Chrono]

Also I hate it when people cannot do simultaneous equations. They are so simple.

Sorry, dude. I can usually solve the not so simple things, and usually have some trouble with the simple stuff. I don't know what it is.

 

[The Bob]

Sorry, dude. I can usually solve the not so simple things, and usually have some trouble with the simple stuff. I don't know what it is.

It must seem to easy so you complicate it.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[fourier jr]

I am not particularly advanced as mathematicians go, and I have recently been curious as to why the dimension of the space of sections h^0(L) of a line bundle L on a compact Riemann surface X is equal to

1-genus(X) + degree(L) + h^0(K-L), where K is the cotangent bundle of X.

and why generalizations of this to higher dimensional manifolds hold.

Mathematicians are more likely to wonder why that is true than why 2+2 = 4, but they still might remember it wrong as 1-genus(X) + degree(L) - h^0(K-L), for instance.

A tutor guy I know showed me a speedy calculation trick once. Check it out:
17*15 = 255 because 17*15 = (16+1)*(16-1) = 16^2 - 1 = 255. It works the same for any numbers like that.

 

[Chrono]

It must seem to easy so you complicate it.

You're exactly right.

 

[JasonRox]

The bottom line is...

We all love math.

We love it so much we study it beyond possible application.

Note: I am a first year student, but I do plan on studying math forever regardless of whether or not the material is useless in someone else's eyes.

 

[Chrono]

The bottom line is...

We all love math.

We love it so much we study it beyond possible application.

Note: I am a first year student, but I do plan on studying math forever regardless of whether or not the material is useless in someone else's eyes.

Sounds good and I also plan on doing the same. By the way, my arithmetic has gotten exponentially better than it was two years ago before Calculus.

 

[mathwonk]

to convert (roughly) from centigrade to fahrenheit my mother in law also taught me to "double it and add 30".

Now isn't that easier than multiplying by 9/5 and adding 32?

and that is a neat trick to multiply toe numbers that differ by two, i.e. (a-1)(a+1) = a^2 -1. it also works for numbers that differ bya ny even number i guess,

(a-k)(a+k) = a^2 - k^2, so 15(19) = (17-2)(17+2) = 289-4 =, 285. cool!

thanks Fourier junior!

 

[sj_iii]

do you think it's necessary to know arithmetic before mathematics?

 

[Chrono]

do you think it's necessary to know arithmetic before mathematics?

Well, of course. That's why they teach it to you first. It'd be real hard to solve equations if you didn't.

 

[Alkatran]

A tutor guy I know showed me a speedy calculation trick once. Check it out:
17*15 = 255 because 17*15 = (16+1)*(16-1) = 16^2 - 1 = 255. It works the same for any numbers like that.

(x-y)(x+y) = x^2 - y^2
so
(x - 1)(x + 1) = x^2 - 1

That's an easy one. I prefer the problems where you break numbers into smaller ones and recombine to make the problem easier.

IE: 66*23 = 11*6*23 = 138*11 = 138 + 1380 = 1518

 

[Ba]

I've always been better at solving things in my head than writing it all down on paper, it really gets me in quite a bit of trouble some times. It's just the more steps I have to write the more likely I'll write it down wrong where if it's in my head it is one thing and not all broken up.

 

[The Bob]

I've always been better at solving things in my head than writing it all down on paper, it really gets me in quite a bit of trouble some times. It's just the more steps I have to write the more likely I'll write it down wrong where if it's in my head it is one thing and not all broken up.

You see, I am the opposite. It needs to worked out in my head but then written down so as to continue or my brain gets too full.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[JasonRox]

I work both ways. In my head when I'm lazy, or on paper when I'm tired.

 

[Alkatran]

Paper makes the problems too easy. People are ruining their calculating potential by using paper!

 

[Chrono]

Paper makes the problems too easy. People are ruining their calculating potential by using paper!

I always try to do it in my head before I do it on paper.

 

[JasonRox]

I like using my head because during lectures it is easier to follow if you do learn to use your head. People often complain about how hard it is to write notes and keep up at the same time. They forget to realize that you don't have to write the examples down, unless you believe it is a good one and can be useful for studying.

Students were writing down a lame explanation of a vector. That is sad... very sad.

 

[Chrono]

I like using my head because during lectures it is easier to follow if you do learn to use your head. People often complain about how hard it is to write notes and keep up at the same time. They forget to realize that you don't have to write the examples down, unless you believe it is a good one and can be useful for studying.

Funny you should mention that, Jason. Yesterday while my instructor was lecturing I felt that he explained the topic the best that day. Coincidentally, I only had about a page of notes. And I usually come out with two or three a day.

 

[JasonRox]

Funny you should mention that, Jason. Yesterday while my instructor was lecturing I felt that he explained the topic the best that day. Coincidentally, I only had about a page of notes. And I usually come out with two or three a day.

That's great.

I should one day post a sample of my notes from Calculus. Its such a mess.

It isn't necessary to write notes. a lot of times it is available in the texts. Because I read the text, and normally do all the odd questions, I don't see the purpose of taking lots of notes.

Also, I have a notetaker and notes are posted online for me, which reminds me that I should go and print them as a refresher for the midterm next week. :)

 

[Chrono]

It isn't necessary to write notes. a lot of times it is available in the texts. Because I read the text, and normally do all the odd questions, I don't see the purpose of taking lots of notes.

Also, I have a notetaker and notes are posted online for me, which reminds me that I should go and print them as a refresher for the midterm next week. :)

Sounds like a good plan, but for me it's a bit harder. My instructor prints us out notes from I don't know where, and there's hardly any examples. No homework, either.

 

[Alkatran]

I always feel weird taking down 1/3 of a page of notes when everyone else is furiously writing down every single example problem the teacher does.

I follow along in my head, trying to stay as many steps ahead as possible.

 

[The Bob]

I always feel weird taking down 1/3 of a page of notes when everyone else is furiously writing down every single example problem the teacher does.

I follow along in my head, trying to stay as many steps ahead as possible.

I know the feeling but so long as your know you know what you are doing, then there is no problem.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[JasonRox]

Sounds like a good plan, but for me it's a bit harder. My instructor prints us out notes from I don't know where, and there's hardly any examples. No homework, either.

I hate homework or examples.

I guess were a little different. I find the examples very annoying because you can just read your text and figure them out yourself. The only examples I like are the challenging ones, and then the professor shows you a couple tricks along with it.

We have assignments in our class. I think we only have 3, so its not bad, but it is still very annoying.

 

[Hurkyl]

I never took notes in class... I just tried to solve/prove things before the lecture did.

 

[Chrono]

I guess were a little different. I find the examples very annoying because you can just read your text and figure them out yourself. The only examples I like are the challenging ones, and then the professor shows you a couple tricks along with it.

Now, what I do like is to be given plenty problems to work out on my own. You learn better if you figure it out yourself. I'm sure you know that already, though.

 

[JasonRox]

Now, what I do like is to be given plenty problems to work out on my own. You learn better if you figure it out yourself. I'm sure you know that already, though.

Totally true.

Normally, I do just about every odd number of every section.

 

[Chrono]

Normally, I do just about every odd number of every section.

But why not both all odd and even numbers of every section?