Mathematics Stack Exchange
Mathematics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [soft-question]

For questions whose answers can't be objectively evaluated as correct or incorrect, but which are still relevant to this site. Please be specific about what you are after.

For questions whose answers cannot be objectively evaluated as correct or incorrect, but which are still relevant to mathematics.se.

12079 questions
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How to improve my grades.

I am 20 and in my 3rd year of undergraduate study. Today I wrote an exam (Measure and integration theory) and well, it was not easy for me, although I was prepared well. My motivation for this question is, that I want to improve my grades in…
numerion
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Do most Theorems have names? If so, where can you look those up?

It seems like in most textbooks, there are a few especially important theorems that are given names and there are numerous others that are merely assigned numbers specific to the textbook being perused (e.g. theorem 4.1). These numbered theorems…
William Muenzinger
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Whats the difference between arithmetic geometry and algebraic geometry?

both seem to be about geometry. why the distinction? I mean which preceded the other? Why is algebraic geometry more popular?
Elliot 2
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Undergraduate mathematics study

I don't know if this question is appropriate but I hope to get advice from people experienced in mathematics.I am currently an undergraduate and I study applied mathematics and computer science.Our syllabus is quite dense and we study different…
Narek Margaryan
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Is there a definition of a good problem in mathematics?

I'm working on a problem in $p$-group theory, namely "is it true that every finite non-simple $p$-group has a non-inner automorphism of order $p$?". (known to be posed or conjectured by Y. Berkovich) My feeling about this question is being somewhat…
Yassine Guerboussa
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Pure Mathematical Approach? What is it?

I am reading a textbook Linear Algebra: A Pure Mathematical Approach by Harvey E. Rose. I am finding it a bit difficult, because the author doesn't always explain everything so well. And, when I went to a different textbook to clarify permutation…
JimmyJackson
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Role of mathematics in science

I want to know that what is the main role of mathematics in science. I mean to say is the main objective in any mathematical research should be finding some tool which may be of good use in other sister disciplines like Physics or Chemistry or…
Anupam
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I need tips for increasing concentration for math study

Any tips for increasing concentration? I find it difficult to concentrate for looong periods at a time, after having taken a long break from mathematics. Before I could sit for hours and do calculations and reading. Now I just put down the book or…
Frederick G
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What is non-linear analysis?

Can anybody tell me what non-linear analysis is? I have no idea. I am not getting wikipedia page, may be because of my bad searching habit. I am seeing a lot of research materials published in different mathematics journals. I want to know the…
Supriyo
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Is there research on how easy it is to ask a difficult to solve maths problem?

It seems that there can be many statements in mathematics that are easy to understand but very hard to solve, such as Fermat's Last Theorem, or the Twin Prime Conjecture. However these seem to be problems that are seen as important in the field of…
244529
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What is the difference between rigorous and formal?

This is a bit of a soft question, but is there a difference between rigorous and formal, and if so, what is it? I have seen those terms used interchangeably, and I use them interchangeably myself, but is there a distinction between the two?
user107952
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(Soft Question) Why do textbook authors pretend that their advanced math texts have no prerequisites and are completely accessible?

Number Theory by George E. Andrews, which is apparently accessible to liberal arts majors, contains this beautiful…
Dr. Momo
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Most convenient axioms to reason from when thinking about $\mathbb{Z}$ and $\mathbb{Q}$?

When doing real analysis, one way that we can ground ourselves is by constructing the real numbers (e.g. as Dedekind cuts), and then proving the basic properties of $\mathbb{R}$ from this construction. However, we can also start with the axioms of a…
M. Sperling
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Mathematical fields and countries

How can I know which mathematical field each country or university is the best in these days? For example, I've already heard that in my country there isn't so much research in algebra and my university is great in geometry. I wanna know this…
user42912
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Examples of schemes in number theory

I'm learning schemes via Hartshorne's book, and I need an ample stock of motivation to keep working through it. My primary interest is in applications to number theory, and I've learned a decent amount of arithmetic geometry without schemes before…
stillconfused
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