Elementary Mathematics

Whilst elementary math may be the simplest and easiest of all mathematics, I believe it is the most important, because it is the foundation, it is the building blocks of mathematics. Without it one will never be able to do any other math.

Just imagine not knowing 1 + 1 = 2 or 1 x 1 = 1. Is there anything you will then be able to know and understand? Probably not.

Some methods used to teach elementary math:
- Flashcards

- Games

- Worksheets

- and many more

For more information click here.

Vacation Time

I wish! But still, one can dream.
What I have in mind is waves, of the ocean.

Now I'm thinking, the next time I'm sitting on the beach staring out over the ocean, will this equation pop into my thoughts? I doubt it, but if it did: Will it be good or bad?

Well who likes to get those brainwaves going on vacation?
So it's probably a bad thing, unless you're very bored... which I doubt.

So how does the above mentioned equation work? This might give you some idea:

The wave equation is the important partial differential equation

that describes propagation of waves with speed . The form above gives the wave equation in three-dimensional space where is the Laplacian, which can also be written

An even more compact form is given by

where the first variable is the d'Alembertian, which subsumes the second time derivative and second space derivatives into a single operator.

The one-dimensional wave equation is given by

As with all partial differential equations, suitable initial and/or boundary conditions must be given to obtain solutions to the equation for particular geometries and starting conditions.

(Weisstein, Eric W. "Wave Equation." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. http://mathworld.wolfram.com/WaveEquation.html)

Elite or Outcast?

At my university there are only a handful of people studying mathematics (literally). I now do not consider other courses containing a few math modules, I mean majoring in it.

So now I ask myself why? Are people scared, afraid? Do they have other plans? (That’s a good solid reason). Do they think they’re to dumb? (That’s just plain dumb, no pun intended.)

I always get the “WOW”-effect. Some people immediately place you outside the ‘normal’ students. Now what I want to know is where exactly are we put? And why?
An elite, not to-be-touched-and-get-into-conversation-with group?
Or an outcast, not to-be-touched-and-get-into-conversation-with group?
Neither sounds any good.
Why is different wrong in some people’s minds?

Go with the flow? I don’t think so.
Upstream is where all the gold is.

Now don’t get me wrong here, I don’t judge anyone by what they’re studying or by their career, all I’m asking is why I, as Applied Mathematics student, are often seen in a different light than others?

Working the night-shift

So I have this amazing increase of concentration at night time.

I also have the need for eight hours of sleep per night.

On weekdays I usually get up at 5:30.

This math just doesn't add up?

The words 'Algebra' and 'Algorithm'

Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (c. 780-850) was an Arabic mathematician whose book Hisab al-jabr w'al muqabalah (c.825) described the use of Hindu-Arabic numerals and the rules of basic arithmetic.

The second word of the book's title gives rise to the English word Algebra, and the word Algorithm is derived from al-Khwarizmi's name.

(Taken from: Poole, D. Linear Algebra: A Modern Introduction. (Second Edition), p.87)