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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A grammar question on taking powers

"... we find that $$ 3x>2x .$$ raising both sides as a power of $2$, we get $$ 2^{3x}>2^{2x} .$$ So the inequa..." My question, is the part "raising both sides as a power of $2$" suitable for the formal(I mean in a mathematics book or related…
user429582
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0 answers

Interaction between pure math and other fields outside of math

I was reading Sturmfel's paper about how biology leads to math. He mentioned that " Many of the most exciting developments in current mathematics are a direct outgrowth of research in theoretical physics. Today’s geometry and topology are…
puremathonly
  • 85
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Is it possible to study Rudin's complex and real analysis with only calculus background

I'm a first year graduate student. I had an engineering background so my knowledge in analysis is not much deeper than what covered in regular calculus series. Would it be viable/beneficial to study Rudin's complex and real analysis directly to…
Daniel Li
  • 3,200
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3 answers

Showing the beauty of math to interest undergraduate students in math

Math is not the most popular subject among students, especially in America. I have recently been thinking about giving a talk to undergraduate students encouraging them to do mathematics not because it is useful, but because it is…
Pawel
  • 4,871
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Usage of 'extreme' versus 'extremal'

Are there any rules concerning when to use the word 'extreme' and when to use 'extremal'? For instance, in a convex set you speak of an 'extreme point', while there is also usage of 'convex extremal functions'.
John
  • 827
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Why do mathematicians seek to go beyond the Gödel Universe of set theory?

Gödel's constructible universe seems to have some attractive properties. Sets are constructed in a very regular, easy-to-understand way, and one has a definite answer on certain major set theoretic questions, such as the generalized continuum…
xyz
  • 442
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How to make good questions in math? Is there a way to practice this ability?

In recent times, I realize that asking good questions is just as important as answer them. I mean, we, mathematicians are not just answer-machines, and mathematics is, overall, a human activity. But there is -in academia- a very intense enphasis on…
HeMan
  • 3,119
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1 answer

Soft question: What if BODMAS/PEDMAS wasn't used. Would maths still "work"?

I just watched this video (click here) on YouTube, where this guy tries to show that we take the rules of algebra for granted. He does this by showing examples of him using BODMAS backwards, and claims that it doesn't work. This completely messed up…
user467501
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1 answer

Why is "Poincaré conjecture" called a conjecture instead of "Poincaré Theorem" when it has already been solved?

"In mathematics, a conjecture is a conclusion or proposition based on incomplete information, for which no proof has been found." This is what conjecture is according to Wikipedia.
user117741
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0 answers

Fully digital mathematics workflows?

I've been thinking about how computer technology has changed math for practitioners. As a computer scientist self-learning math, it has taken a lot of mental rewiring to get myself to reach for pencil and paper nearby. For example, for doing "data…
szxk
  • 147
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Why advection equation is time reversible?

I have advection equation stated in materials provided by professor as follow: $$ \frac{\delta u}{\delta t} = \nabla \cdot (Vu) $$ According to Why heat equation is not time-reversible? (Time arrow in mathematics) I think that equation is not time…
Shoter
  • 123
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1 answer

How do I know im capable of doing mathematical sciences for a college degree?

I felt this is the best place to ask, what does it take to study math at college level? I know you're probably saying you have to be a genius or work hard, I'm willing to work hard...I did three years of an engineering/physics course and I got top…
Michael O' Driscoll
  • 43
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What is meant by a problem's primitives?

Sorry if this is an amateur or unclear question. I've heard many people, when formulating an optimization problem or a control/game problem, refer to some elements as "primitives." It seems from the context that they mean some sort of fundamental…
jonem
  • 383
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1 answer

Equivalence of solutions

Are all solutions to a problem Equivalent at some conceptual level? An easy example,trying to solve a system of 2 linear equations has ways to be looked at: Graphs of lines and their intersection . A linear transformation from a vector to…
Logan Luther
  • 612
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Examples of chain of equivalences that are "easy" in one way and "hard" on the other.

When studying mathematics, one often finds something like: 'The following statements are equivalent: $1$. Statement $1$ $2$. Statement $2$ ... $n$. Statement $n$' I'm looking for some examples where the implications $1\implies 2 \implies…
Darth Geek
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