Mathematics Stack Exchange
Mathematics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [education]

For math questions related to the teaching and learning of mathematics. Note that Mathematics Educators Stack Exchange may be a better home for narrowly scoped questions on specific issues in mathematics education.

This tag is for questions that are primarily about mathematics, but are related to mathematics education. Also consider using the or the tag. On the other hand, questions that are primarily about teaching and learning mathematics would be a better fit for MathEducators.SE.

3309 questions
3
votes
5 answers

Infinity isn't a Number

Educators and Professors: when you teach first year calculus students that infinity isn't a number, how would you logically present to them $-\infty < x < +\infty$, where $x$ is a real number?
user 85795
  • 1,659
3
votes
0 answers

I'm interested in learning Soundwaves/Fourier's analysis/Acoustics, but need a starting point.

I thought this would be a good place to ask, but if this is the wrong place please guide me to where I should ask. I'm in my first semester of college and I realized that I want to study math more seriously. I'm interested mainly in formulae and…
ilca
  • 31
3
votes
0 answers

What material is good for Atiyah-Singer index theorem

I want to ask what materials or books can I use to learn the proof of Atiyah-Singer index theorem? I hope such material contains enough preliminaries and background instead of proving the theorem directly.
Summer
  • 6,893
3
votes
1 answer

Is understanding math deeply important at my level? How do I balance time spent understanding vs learning new mathematics?

My goal is to become a mathematician. I am just starting to learn math on khan academy. I solve the problems but I do not understand how or why what I am doing works and I have a lot of questions. The answers seem to come to me intuitively. If I…
Mathematician
  • 31
3
votes
0 answers

What should an undergraduate thesis be about?

I'm very excited to start my undergraduate thesis and I've heard some recommendations for topic but I have a questions and I'd like to hear your opinions. Should I look for the most advanced topic I can understand on an area I'm interested to work…
Vicfred
  • 2,787
3
votes
0 answers

While applying for Phd in mathematics how much does the courses I have taken matter?

I may or may not 'drop' my Point Set Topology course since I performed very poorly in it but I do not have any idea whether it will be a problem during my Phd application or interview. I wanted to know how much it matters. It would really help if…
theMfailure
  • 219
3
votes
3 answers

Interesting Topic for Proofs Class

I am teaching one of those university level classes where students learn enough proof theory to do their higher undergraduate courses. In such a class, you need things for the students to prove. What seems to be the norm in textbooks is a little…
J126
  • 17,451
3
votes
1 answer

Symbolic understanding

In mathematics, the symbols represent things with clear and precise meanings. My question is regarding the experience of reading/doing mathematics. When you are reading some piece of mathematics, is the symbols alone enough for you to understand…
user29163
  • 665
3
votes
1 answer

Finding the number of years in a compound interest formula

My question is: Suppose that I have $\$2,500$ in an investment account. I want this to grow to $\$5,000$. Approximately how long it would take to do this if my account earns $3.5\%$ compounded annually $$ FV=PV(1+i)^n \\ 5000=2500(1+.035)^n…
Charles
  • 33
3
votes
3 answers

Where can I find math plans for US primary / secondary education?

I'd really like to have an overview of how math is being studied in US. I would love to see how it compares to primary / secondary education in Europe (ex Yugoslav countries). TIA
hummingBird
  • 153
2
votes
3 answers

Math learning after Differential Equations?

I made it up to DE(Pre-Calc, Calc I and Calc II with basic stats before that same school) in community college through a special program(I'm poor). I'll have to self-teach from now on but am still very in to math and engineering. What do people…
4334of
  • 21
  • 1
2
votes
2 answers

Markup and Margins

My question is if I can have 80% margins with 180% markup of operating costs? For instance if I have an operating cost of 300 dollars and I mark it up by 180% I would charge the customer 540 dollars. 540 / 300 1.8 I take it that in order…
onetruescottsman
  • 21
2
votes
0 answers

On which occasions will the intelligent layperson fail to recognize a mathematics problem?

Suppose an intelligent lay person is ignorant of mathematics and believes all the crap taught in classrooms to the effect that mathematics consists of believing dogmas, obeying instructions, and executing algorithms. Suppose this person works in…
Michael Hardy
  • 1
2
votes
1 answer

Looking for mathematics teaching article

Some time in the last month, I read a great article somewhere on the web that discussed the sorry state of secondary school math education in the U.S. One of the examples in that article was a discussion of how geometry is designed to wring the last…
rogerl
  • 22,399
2
votes
3 answers

Set Theory, Number Theory, and Logic before any other math

I am trying to teach myself set theory, number theory and logic before I engage in mathematics. I have been able to get through Calculus but I think that it was just by repeating different types of problems (i.e., memorization). I really want to…
Creator
  • 111
  • 1
  • 5
1 2 3
…
26 27