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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Fiction Author Fine Tuning Formula.

I recently asked a question to find a formula for a fiction project. I was met with a brilliant answer; but, I am missing key pieces of information to arrive at how the answer is wholly implemented. Fiction Author Searching For Formula. I would…
Lorem Ipsum
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I've heard that some kinds of mathematics are so abstract, what's the point in it?

Some days ago, a friend - who's studying civil engineering - told me something about the mathematics of the theoretical mathematics degree: It's strange, their math is so abstract. What should be the meaning of this? This reminded me of…
Red Banana
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A simple game for developing number sense

I am terrible at doing mental math, so I was recommended to play this simple game to hone my number sense. The game involves picking four numbers and the coming generating the numbers from $1$ to $20$. Here's an example: Let the set of numbers be…
OGC
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Is wikipedia's attribution of the four mathematical subfields correct?

This is a bit of a philosophical question. Wikipedia gives a very intuitive (in my view) description of the four main fields of mathematics, according to what they are "about". it says number theory is about "quantity" algebra is about…
user56834
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Better way to say "can be written in terms of"

Suppose some expression $f$ can be written in terms of some variable $x$. What is a better way to express this? We can say $f = A(x)$ where $A$ is some function of $f$; however, I'm not sure if this is an appropriate way to say this.
J. Doe
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Why do I always find textbooks confusing?

It happens frequently that I find textbook derivation confusing, that some steps have no connection. For example, when learning the definition of exponential distribution and derivation by modifying poisson distribution: The exponential…
James Maxwell
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How do I learn maths?

I have currently finished AS maths (British curriculum), but the problem with the British curriculum is that it misses out the basis of maths; it misses out a focus on functions. When I look at other curriculum, I feel like there is a huge gap in my…
Osama Ismail
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Are there important situations where we study false statements as if they were true?

I know of two situations resulting from asserting that a false mathematical statement is true (by this we assume that the statement has been made to be a mathematical axiom and that it must be true and only true): First, if one forces two unequal…
user64742
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Mathematical Documentaries

Do you know of any documentaries Like Fermat's last theorem or N is number? Story of a mathematician or a theorem.Dont know if this is a good site for the question.
Jam
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Possible Masters degrees for a maths Graduate

So I will be finishing my degree in Maths at the end of next year and was considering doing a masters in Maths combined with another discipline such as biology , Earth sciences , oceanography etc I ask this question becuase I am very interested in…
Tom Otto
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meaning of the notation a belongs to $ C^n[a,b]$

This notation stands for what : $X$ belongs to $C^n[a,b]$ ? I think $x$ takes values continuously between $a$ and $b$ in $n$ tuples.
low iq
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A problem with my computer in WolframAlpha

I wonder if the problem I have on my computer with a calculation with WolframAlpha, also occurs on other computers. The situation is that asking for integer solutions of the equation $$x^2+y^2=5(xy-1)$$ the time delay is much longer than usual and…
Piquito
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Difference between two math signs

I've a question about two math different math signs: What is the difference between $\approx$ and $\cong$?
Jeans Boss
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What is a probable form of Fermat's triplet?

The mathematical community is now aware beyond reasonable doubt that Fermat's Last Theorem was accurate. However, I cannot help asking, if there were any non trivial Fermat's triplet: -What would have been the form of those integers? -Would $x,y,z$…
user97615
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$Y$ is a difference of a factor of $X$

To say $Y$ differs by a factor of $X$ means $dY = X$, or equivalently $Y_2 - Y_1 = X$ I believe. But this does not make sense to me, as a factor is what multiplies another number, e.g. $2$ is a factor of $6$. In context: Suppose we want to…
Sunhwa
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