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-solv

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 .

Answered by 2closedStringsMeet last updated on 16/Aug/15

C o n s i d e r i n g a l l a s p e c t s o f a p r o b l e m

s h o u l d n t b e y o u r b i g g e s t c o n c e r n;

I n s t e a d y e a r n t o w e l l f o c u s o n t h e

u n d e r l y i n g a s s u m p t i o n s t h a t g i v e n

p r o b l e m s s e e m t o i m p l y; a n d s o l v e f r o m

a t h e r e o f c o n n e c t i o n . Q u i t e s i m p l e

s t o r y - t e l l i n g; o n c e y o u k n o w t h e

g r a m m a r, y o u t e l l i t b y f i n d i n g

w a y s t o s u i t i n g l y c o n n e c t g i v e n e v e n t s;

a n d n o t b y i n t e n d i n g t o c o n s i d e r a l l

p o s s i b l e w a y s t o c o n n e c t t h e m .

A s a t h e o r e t i c a l p h y s i c s s t u d e n t,

m a t h e m a t i c s h a s b e c o m e a l a n g u a g e

f o r m e; o n c e h a d i t b e e n a s i m p l e t o o l .

P r o b l e m s o l v i n g s k i l l s c o m e t o m e

n o t b y t h i n k i n g a b o u t t h e p r o b l e m i t s e l f,

b u t b y l e t t i n g t h e a s s u m p t i o n s o f t h e

p r o b l e m b e t r u e, a n d s o, i n v e s t i g a t e

i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s .

S u g g e s t i n g t h a t y o u s o l v e a b u n c h o f

p r o b l e m s, i t h o u g h t, w o u l d n t h i t t h e s p o t .

I n m y e x p e r i e n c e w i t h m a t h e m a t i c s,

i n g e n e r a l, i s t h e p o w e r o f a s s u m p t i o n

t h a t l e t s y o u d i s c o v e r n e w w a y s t o s e e

a p r o b l e m; t h e r e o f c o m i n g c l o s e t o

s e e i n g^{″} {a l l}^{″} a s p e c t s o f s u c h p r o b l e m .

F o r a m a t h e m a t i c s c a r r i e r i n g e n e r a l,

i w o u l d a d v i c e y o u t o t a l k t o a s m a n y

m a t h e m a t i c i a n s a s y o u c a n; t h e p u s h

l i e s i n t h e i n t e r e s t a n d y e a r n f o r

t h e m y s t e r i o u s a n d a b s t r a c t; w h e r e

s k i l l s a r e g r o w n o u t o f l u s t f o r t h e

u n k n o w n .

Commented by userid1 last updated on 17/Sep/16

nice .

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