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Question Number 1486 by 112358 last updated on 13/Aug/15
While this may be a bit off   the usual Q n A posts here,  what advice can be given to   someone wishing to successfully  carry out undergraduate studies  in mathematics? I′m worried   about my problem solving skills  and my ability to consider all  aspects of a problem.
$$\mathrm{While}\:\mathrm{this}\:\mathrm{may}\:\mathrm{be}\:\mathrm{a}\:\mathrm{bit}\:\mathrm{off}\: \\ $$$$\mathrm{the}\:\mathrm{usual}\:\mathrm{Q}\:\mathrm{n}\:\mathrm{A}\:\mathrm{posts}\:\mathrm{here}, \\ $$$$\mathrm{what}\:\mathrm{advice}\:\mathrm{can}\:\mathrm{be}\:\mathrm{given}\:\mathrm{to}\: \\ $$$$\mathrm{someone}\:\mathrm{wishing}\:\mathrm{to}\:\mathrm{successfully} \\ $$$$\mathrm{carry}\:\mathrm{out}\:\mathrm{undergraduate}\:\mathrm{studies} \\ $$$$\mathrm{in}\:\mathrm{mathematics}?\:\mathrm{I}'\mathrm{m}\:\mathrm{worried}\: \\ $$$$\mathrm{about}\:\mathrm{my}\:\mathrm{problem}\:\mathrm{solving}\:\mathrm{skills} \\ $$$$\mathrm{and}\:\mathrm{my}\:\mathrm{ability}\:\mathrm{to}\:\mathrm{consider}\:\mathrm{all} \\ $$$$\mathrm{aspects}\:\mathrm{of}\:\mathrm{a}\:\mathrm{problem}.\: \\ $$$$ \\ $$
Answered by 2closedStringsMeet last updated on 16/Aug/15
Considering all aspects of a problem  shouldnt be your biggest concern;   Instead yearn to well focus on the   underlying assumptions that given  problems seem to imply; and solve from  a thereof connection . Quite simple  story−telling; once you know the   grammar, you tell it by finding  ways to suitingly connect given events;  and not by intending to consider all  possible ways to connect them.  As a theoretical physics student,  mathematics has become a language  for me; once had it been a simple tool.   Problem solving skills come to me  not by thinking about the problem itself,  but by letting the assumptions of the  problem be true, and so, investigate  its implications.  Suggesting that you solve a bunch of  problems, i thought, wouldnt hit the spot.  In my experience with mathematics,  in general, is the power of assumption  that lets you discover new ways to see  a problem; thereof coming close to  seeing ′′all′′ aspects of such problem.  For a mathematics carrier in general,  i would advice you to talk to as many  mathematicians as you can; the push  lies in the interest and  yearn for   the mysterious and abstract; where  skills are grown out of lust for the  unknown.
$${Considering}\:{all}\:{aspects}\:{of}\:{a}\:{problem} \\ $$$${shouldnt}\:{be}\:{your}\:{biggest}\:{concern};\: \\ $$$${Instead}\:{yearn}\:{to}\:{well}\:{focus}\:{on}\:{the}\: \\ $$$${underlying}\:{assumptions}\:{that}\:{given} \\ $$$${problems}\:{seem}\:{to}\:{imply};\:{and}\:{solve}\:{from} \\ $$$${a}\:{thereof}\:{connection}\:.\:{Quite}\:{simple} \\ $$$${story}−{telling};\:{once}\:{you}\:{know}\:{the}\: \\ $$$${grammar},\:{you}\:{tell}\:{it}\:{by}\:{finding} \\ $$$${ways}\:{to}\:{suitingly}\:{connect}\:{given}\:{events}; \\ $$$${and}\:{not}\:{by}\:{intending}\:{to}\:{consider}\:{all} \\ $$$${possible}\:{ways}\:{to}\:{connect}\:{them}. \\ $$$${As}\:{a}\:{theoretical}\:{physics}\:{student}, \\ $$$${mathematics}\:{has}\:{become}\:{a}\:{language} \\ $$$${for}\:{me};\:{once}\:{had}\:{it}\:{been}\:{a}\:{simple}\:{tool}.\: \\ $$$${Problem}\:{solving}\:{skills}\:{come}\:{to}\:{me} \\ $$$${not}\:{by}\:{thinking}\:{about}\:{the}\:{problem}\:{itself}, \\ $$$${but}\:{by}\:{letting}\:{the}\:{assumptions}\:{of}\:{the} \\ $$$${problem}\:{be}\:{true},\:{and}\:{so},\:{investigate} \\ $$$${its}\:{implications}. \\ $$$${Suggesting}\:{that}\:{you}\:{solve}\:{a}\:{bunch}\:{of} \\ $$$${problems},\:{i}\:{thought},\:{wouldnt}\:{hit}\:{the}\:{spot}. \\ $$$${In}\:{my}\:{experience}\:{with}\:{mathematics}, \\ $$$${in}\:{general},\:{is}\:{the}\:{power}\:{of}\:{assumption} \\ $$$${that}\:{lets}\:{you}\:{discover}\:{new}\:{ways}\:{to}\:{see} \\ $$$${a}\:{problem};\:{thereof}\:{coming}\:{close}\:{to} \\ $$$${seeing}\:''{all}''\:{aspects}\:{of}\:{such}\:{problem}. \\ $$$${For}\:{a}\:{mathematics}\:{carrier}\:{in}\:{general}, \\ $$$${i}\:{would}\:{advice}\:{you}\:{to}\:{talk}\:{to}\:{as}\:{many} \\ $$$${mathematicians}\:{as}\:{you}\:{can};\:{the}\:{push} \\ $$$${lies}\:{in}\:{the}\:{interest}\:{and}\:\:{yearn}\:{for}\: \\ $$$${the}\:{mysterious}\:{and}\:{abstract};\:{where} \\ $$$${skills}\:{are}\:{grown}\:{out}\:{of}\:{lust}\:{for}\:{the} \\ $$$${unknown}. \\ $$$$ \\ $$
Commented by userid1 last updated on 17/Sep/16
nice.
$$\mathrm{nice}. \\ $$

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