An obsession with mathematics?

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I took my math test today. I finished before anyone else, even the people who started earlier than me.

I guess it's normal for me to feel like I might get an F, like I omitted something big.

I thought the test was easy though. Hmm.

Are you in college?

I wish you the best of luck regardless.

snowboardinstyle:

You mentioned not wanting to memorize sine-values, but rather understand the underlying principle? It's not that hard, you know. Perhaps you were just mentioning an example, but I will post a link that explains the theory behind trigonometric terms, like sine:

http://www.humboldt.edu/~dlj1/PreCalcul ... ircle.html

We HAD to learn the unit circle in our trigonometry class. Not understanding the unit circle when doing trigonometry is like not understanding why the calculator says that 2+3 equals 5. You don't think, but rather just accept it.

Again, perhaps you know all this, and there's some even deeper understanding you feel lacking. If you get your hands on that type of knowledge, let me know

On topic:

I sort of like math. I have finished most of the math classes available in Sweden, from derivative and integration, complex numbers, trigonometry, logarithms, differential equations, calculus, geometry ... The only thing I never managed to finish was the vectors and matrices bits. Like snowboardinstyle, I understood the calculations, but not the theory, the principle or the applicational use for it.
I got the wrong approach from the start, and it's hard to start over fresh.

I often play with numbers. There are always some series of numbers in your immediate area, so if you have five minutes you can always excersize you brain a little. The number to my local pizza place is 016-124307, which can be transformed into 0+(1+6)x(1x2)=4+3+0+7. My grannie's number is 016-130933, turns into (0x1)+6=(1^3)x(0+(9/3)+3) ...

A waste of time, sure. But then again, what isn't?

Oh yes, I most certainly agree with that!! I really liked step-functions when my teacher explained them through the physical idea of a sudden force like a rocket starts firing and stuff like that, I mean I know that the time for a step function is smaller than is found in physics but it is a good approximation. Physics is really one of my favorite subjects because of the fact that it is math with meaning. Chemistry has some math but there is also a good amount of things that have to be memorized and Biology is almost pure memorization. Physics is just some formulas with meaning, it is just concepts and ideas, fun things to work with. The distance-velocity-acceleration relationship is just a relationship found from calculus but it makes sense. I mean, I used to not like math(I found algebra 2 difficult and not very rewarding) but I came to respect it once I started taking physics because of how it is capable of describing these physical relationships. I also came to respect it because I found out I could make a life through mathematics as engineering is applied math and science and a good way for a person to make a good living.

It was considered abnormal, and different from other kids, as well as holding back social development. It's as simple as that, or at least that's what I'm supposed to believe.

Some rather appalling experiences with mathematics , there not teaching it right. Read A Mathematician's Lament , if you want for more info.

I'm interested in higher level mathematics , my current obsession now is finding a single topic of mathematics that is highly specialized for the rest of my career , well more for my master's thesis , years ahead though.

Last edited by JSNS on 05 Nov 2011, 6:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A Mathematican's Lament is absolutely amazing.

Special interest in mathematics. I could care less about numbers.