I got a 3!!!

[~kitty~]

Re: I got a 3!!!

I would have been able to do these kinds of things, but the way I think about things really limits me. There's a part in the way I think that makes me completely give up at certain things and not even try, and I can never get myself to do it. That happens mostly because of the way I was raised. So basically I have to be taught about it first, then I can start thinking on my own and realize things aren't nearly as hard as I thought it was. Totally what happened for me in Calculus. Same thing for learning languages. Martial arts as well. Oh well. I probably would have got 2 answers right if I were there myself.

[hi19hi19]

Re: I got a 3!!!

I would have been able to do these kinds of things, but the way I think about things really limits me. There's a part in the way I think that makes me completely give up at certain things and not even try, and I can never get myself to do it. That happens mostly because of the way I was raised. So basically I have to be taught about it first, then I can start thinking on my own and realize things aren't nearly as hard as I thought it was. Totally what happened for me in Calculus. Same thing for learning languages. Martial arts as well. Oh well. I probably would have got 2 answers right if I were there myself.

If you have identified the problem with your approach to problem solving, don't just accept it. Now you can overcome it!
There's lots of interesting books on not just core concepts of math, but how to think about problems. The Art of Problem Solving is of course the classic example, but once you read through that series there are other books too. Even if you don't plan on doing math at this level, some of the concepts can be fascinating to consider in everyday life. You'd be amazed at how much stuff we do throughout the day boils down to just fulfilling the Pigeonhole Principle

[Wineandbread]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Congrats !!

I think my friend scored a 6 on this when he took it last year? Although he I think he expected to score higher cause he took a seminar on it lololol (iirc he thought he scored in the 30s on the absolute scale)

As much I love fawning over the beauty of mathematics, I wouldn't even dare touching something like the Putnam. I remember being in high school math club and my friend somehow convinced the club director to put me on the A team, except I got carried every single time we competed and I basically didn't do jack shit

PS Concepts of math hard pain class ):

[Reincarnate]

Re: I got a 3!!!

I would have been able to do these kinds of things, but the way I think about things really limits me. There's a part in the way I think that makes me completely give up at certain things and not even try, and I can never get myself to do it. That happens mostly because of the way I was raised. So basically I have to be taught about it first, then I can start thinking on my own and realize things aren't nearly as hard as I thought it was. Totally what happened for me in Calculus. Same thing for learning languages. Martial arts as well. Oh well. I probably would have got 2 answers right if I were there myself.

Sounds like a confidence issue to me -- correct me if I'm wrong. Like hi19hi19 said, I'd just do a lot of reading and practice. Some subjects are overwhelming if you look at the big picture and can be really discouraging, but sometimes it's really as simple as, well, starting simple. As you grasp more and more concepts, you'll suddenly find yourself waist-deep in things that you never really thought you'd be capable of before. IMO that's the most exciting thing about learning, and it'll definitely help your confidence and help give you the motivation to not give up.

How were you raised? Not allowed to think about something unless it's taught to you?

[All_That_Chaz]

Re: I got a 3!!!

I think I did mathcounts one year. Is that where they take the top 10 scorers on some test, pin 10 vs. 9, ask them a question, and whoever gets it right first goes against 8, etc? It was a long time ago. I did the third best in my school's group of five and the two guys ahead of me made top 10, and one of them won the whole thing. I've heard of the Putnam test, but I've never tried it. I only just recently took the basic necessary courses like Number Theory and Diff EQ.

Every now and then I wish I went further with math, then I remember that I'm not really that strong of a math guy. I teach math. Whoops.

[Cavernio]

Re: I got a 3!!!

wtf is mathcounts

[Mau5]

Re: I got a 3!!!

wtf is mathcounts

Let me Google that for you

[~kitty~]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Sounds like a confidence issue to me -- correct me if I'm wrong. Like hi19hi19 said, I'd just do a lot of reading and practice. Some subjects are overwhelming if you look at the big picture and can be really discouraging, but sometimes it's really as simple as, well, starting simple. As you grasp more and more concepts, you'll suddenly find yourself waist-deep in things that you never really thought you'd be capable of before. IMO that's the most exciting thing about learning, and it'll definitely help your confidence and help give you the motivation to not give up.

How were you raised? Not allowed to think about something unless it's taught to you?

My parents are super religious, so you can kind of see how I can be raised to think a certain way if they want me to believe in God full faith like they do.

[Reach]

Re: I got a 3!!!

I used to think I was good at mathematics. I mean, I tutored math for years, got 100% in university Cal II, and took courses like Quantum Physics in undergrad.

And then I look at tests like this and realize I know absolutely nothing about mathematics.

Major props to anyone that can score much of anything on this exam. Even 3 points; nicely done. I'm pretty confident I could not get a single point. haha.

[Reincarnate]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Higher level math is so gross.

I look at the stuff Terry Tao puts out and it's just... nuts. Disgustingly smart guys out there.

[iironiic]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Higher level math is so gross.

I look at the stuff Terry Tao puts out and it's just... nuts. Disgustingly smart guys out there.

You're also subscribed to his blog entry?! xD

I haven't been on his site in a while. I should probably go check it out now!

And thanks to everyone who said "congrats" here! (:

[Reach]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Higher level math is so gross.

I look at the stuff Terry Tao puts out and it's just... nuts. Disgustingly smart guys out there.

Reading his blog and listening to his lectures makes me intrigued by mathematics. I respect it. It's an interesting field.

I can't imagine doing it for a living though.

I like solving math problems. Problems with a quantifiable solution that can be arrived upon via different methods. I like getting creative with solutions.

Proofs have always gone over my head though. I've never liked them and have never been good at them. Respect to those that can do them. After seeing the work some of my friends in math were doing and that the vast majority of work they do is proofs, I knew I made the right choice by staying out of math >_>


Terence is a pretty crazy guy though. 760 on the SAT math @ age 8? Hah. If you extrapolate that score based on age ratios, that's a performance somewhere around 6 standard deviations above the mean, or about 1 in 1,000,000,000 people. An exceptional guy, no doubt.