tea.mathoverflow.net - Discussion Feed (Analyst who does not understand algebra)

fedja comments on "Analyst who does not understand algebra" (19179)

fedja — Thu, 31 May 2012 08:39:37 -0700

It is actually a reasonable question if you understand what is asked (which is a non-trivial task given the way it is written). As a matter of fact, I often wondered pretty much the same thing though I wouldn't even try to formulate the underlying question exactly, much less to discuss it here. Anyway, it is closed by now, so the only point I want to make is that certain things are damn hard to express in words, so a ridiculous writeup doesn't necessarily mean a ridiculous chain of thought.

Mariano comments on "Analyst who does not understand algebra" (19158)

Mariano — Tue, 29 May 2012 08:53:41 -0700

++Bill.

Yemon Choi comments on "Analyst who does not understand algebra" (19153)

Yemon Choi — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:54:17 -0700

The line

I cannot even carry out simple algebraic computations(moving terms across, integration by parts) that come almost everyday in my work because a priori I don't see why I need such manipulations

suggests to me that the OP's problems lie less with a conceptual grasp of algebra, and more with some pretty basic deficiencies. Perhaps he is overstating things here, but still ...

Bill Johnson comments on "Analyst who does not understand algebra" (19152)

Bill Johnson — Mon, 28 May 2012 10:57:35 -0700

It is a ridiculous question, IMO. I voted to close.

Angelo comments on "Analyst who does not understand algebra" (19151)

Angelo — Mon, 28 May 2012 10:26:34 -0700

I find the question http://mathoverflow.net/questions/98205/how-do-you-understand-algebra-if-you-are-very-much-of-an-analyst rather annoying, both in tone and in content. My first instinct was to vote to close it, with a snide remark. But of course snide remarks are never a good idea (even if sometimes I am unable to resist), and I just wanted to check whether there is some consensus that this question should be closed.