1119 posts tagged with math.
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What math do you need to know to do well in Econmetrics?
I am hoping to take some extra economics courses as electives for undergrad, and I have enough electives to build up to econometrics, if I wish. What sort of maths is needed in econometrics? [more inside]
Maybe Math IS Useful?
Imagine you are making a game. The game board is made up of 56 square tiles randomly drawn and placed in an 7x8 grid by each player in turn. Each tile represents a room and the grid is a house, and each tile has at least one door up to a maximum of four doors, one on each side. Tiles can be placed anywhere on the grid - they don't have to be played adjacent to a tile already on the grid. The goal is to place tiles so they lead to a specific spot of the grid's outside edge Is there some accessible way to use math to figure out what combination of doored cards is best for minimizing dead ends, or is this ridiculous and if I knew even the barest shred of math I would know not to ask such foolishness? [more inside]
How can I improve my algebra so I can fully understand calculus?
How can I improve my algebra 1 and 2 (and linear algebra) so I can feel comfortable with tackling calculus 1 + 2? [more inside]
Can you explain this Babylonian math problem?
The link in the below explanation shows a math problem from thousands of years ago, in which someone appeared to have made a mistake. Can you explain the question and the mistake? [more inside]
What are good resources for teaching math to grade school kids at home?
I'd like to supplement my 7 year old kid's math education at home. Ideally without busting out the iPad. Workbooks are fine but the ones we've encountered seem to be better for drilling than teaching. Are there any great books/games/tools that actually help teach math to kids this age?
What are some good books on economics for a beginner?
I am wanting to learn more about economics. I am currently minoring in political science (4th Year undergraduate student). Yet, I am terrible at maths -- the maths aspect might be difficult to understand. [more inside]
Failing Math and Other Adventures in Fourth Grade
Our son, 9.5 years old, is in the fourth grade and currently has an F in Math and a D in ELA. How do we best respond to this? [more inside]
Seeking a math-related article about strange infinite series
My Google-foo is failing me. About a month ago, I started reading a very interesting article about a topic in mathematics. I read only the first few paragraphs before I got distracted by something. Now I want to finish the article, but I can't find it. [more inside]
A Physics Problem About Cooling Iced Tea
I make iced tea in a 2-quart saucepan then pour it into a gallon jug half-filled with cold water. It recently occurred to me that I could have colder tea more quickly if I put the water in the freezer while the tea is steeping. So... [more inside]
A (tongue-in-cheek) proposal that the set of natural numbers is finite?
A while back I read a fascinating paper by a real mathematician (read: not a crank) who made the claim that the set of natural numbers is in fact finite. It was an entertaining read, but somehow I didn't bookmark it and I haven't been able to turn it up again. I'm hoping someone else at MeFi knows of it. [more inside]
Maths for quantum physics?
I’d really like to understand physics better, especially quantum mechanics, string theory all that spooky kinda stuff. But I really lack the maths brain to get in depth. What’s the best way to get my maths a bit more up to scratch? [more inside]
How can my home-bound friend volunteer his engineering and math brain?
I have a friend who is a former pilot and mechanical/aeronautical engineer. He's struggling with a mental health disorder and, for various reasons I can't get into, is mostly home-bound. How can he volunteer his science and math skills to help humanity and keep that part of his brain as fresh as he can? [more inside]
Math/Stats: Most common middleing factor
Mathematics / Statistics Filter: I have a set of numbers, but I don't necessarily want the lowest common factor or greatest common denominator. I want a number somewhere in between. [more inside]
Bubble Wrap Math
I hate math. I need bubble wrap. I'd like to order some from Amazon. [more inside]
Differential Equations Example confusion
I'm having a trouble following one step of an example in a differential equations textbook. It's an example demonstrating solving a Cauchy-Euler equation by using a substitution to convert it to an equation with constant coefficients. [more inside]
Parsing pixels
I want to produce simple planting plans in Artrage 4.5.9. Each planting type will be a separate layer in Artrage. I then want to parse the resulting colour layers to get the area (or percentage) of pixels in each layer and use the data to generate lists of plants. [more inside]
What equations graph these curves?
I've got three curves that I'd love to find equations for, if such exist.
I've done some research on the Internet but everything I find is talking way over my head. I got up through trigonometry in high school, but that was probably the miracle of teacher apathy during grading.
So, do you know what equations graph these three curves? (Okay, one is straight lines, but that's still a curve for these purposes, isn't it?) [more inside]
Help me Build a Better Schedule
I've been put in charge of making a schedule for my group of employees. It's hard, and I'd like to incorporate ranked choices. [more inside]
recommend youtube math channels for 9 year olds
My kid (9 1/2) loves watching youtube videos about math problems, but the ones that arrive by algorithmic suggestion have subpar content with a robo voice that never goes over the answers. He is more confused than engaged, but loves math enough to keep clicking on the suggestions. Do parents with more youtube experience have any suggestions? We're not looking for super advanced or complicated problems. Challenging or tricky arithmetic stuff that exploits the order of operations (or whatever it's called) is what he seems to like.
How do I calculate how many banker´s boxes will fit under a 10x10 tent?
YANMMT (You Are Not My Math Teacher) but can you help me figure out how many banker´s boxes will fit under a 10x10 tent? Tent has a 6´valence but I´ll call it 5´ cos I don´t want to tower the stacks of boxes too crazy high.
Tent height x width x length: 60¨x 120¨x 120¨ ; Box height x width x length: 10¨x 12 ¨x 15.¨
I could divide each tent dimension by the box dimension to arrive at 6 x 10 x 8 = 480 boxes fit in a tent. (Volume of tent divided by volume of the boxes = the same number).
But I´m afraid that I´m missing something. Does the fact that the numbers all divide evenly mean that this will work? Or is there something I must take into account so as to consider that even though we can break a box into length/width/height we have to ensure we treat it as one whole unbroken thing in real life?
Thank you!
Which are some good online platforms to learn more about Math?
I'm getting into things like machine learning and HPC. These fields, naturally require a lot of math, mainly stuff like linear algebra. I took classes on linear algebra, calculus, probability and statistics. I don't really remember much of it and while I have an inkling of what is going on, my understanding of almost everything except for linear algebra is not very good. [more inside]
Fractions and decimals for a kid who doesn't like math
Recommendations wanted: Math materials for a grade 5 kid, studying fractions and decimals, who doesn't like math. Other interests: Reading, lego, super heroes, history, geography.
Ever heard an explanation of a number that gave you an 'aha!' moment?
I'm looking for examples from any subject that have made a stat/figure/number come alive. Eg: If the entire history of the earth was compressed into one year, humans would only appear in the final 24 minutes. [more inside]
Wildcard (meta-variable?) for use in equations or something?
Well, there's no proper category available...
So when i was in high school, my classmate managed to come up with a number (something like 1.1452?) that could substitute any variable in this chapter of our either trigonometry or statistics class for either quadratic equations or logarithms if i remember excepting only a handful of instances but i forget what it was and he's unreachable. This's surely unhelpful but that's all i'm able to give if anybody's got even a remote clue as to what that might've been?
Fun activities/projects for math-interested 12 year old?
Mr. Mysticle and I have just begun mentoring a 12 year old boy. He likes math. (He also likes cooking, baking, and basketball.) For our first hangout, we all had fun building bridges with marshmallows and toothpicks and then testing how much they could hold without buckling. What are some other activities/projects that would be fun, new, and exciting? [more inside]
Please help me do math good again
I used to know a lot of math. That was well over a decade ago. I haven't used it since, and now I'm in a position where I need it again. Is there an online course or a textbook (or a couple textbooks) that will take me on a speed-run from pre-calc to differential equations/linear algebra? With exercises, and the exercises have worked-out answers? [more inside]
Online Tutor Me To Be An Online Tutor
You may have heard that there's a little partial government shutdown going on. If it continues for much longer I'm going to have to think about making some side money. This got me thinking about online tutoring as a possibility to make some extra cash. Tell me your experience with and tips for online tutoring. Some additional details below the fold. [more inside]
A good movie... about math!
My wife wants to show her high school geometry class a movie to start the semester. What can she show her kids? Specifics inside. [more inside]
Enough acoustic theory (or is it really like brain surgery?)
I want to understand some acoustic theory to design solutions for outdoor noise (or at least communicate better with acoustic engineers). I know of software for this but want to know just enough of the nuts and bolts. There's lots of info available but I don't want all of it and don't know where to start. [more inside]
Resources for math refresher?
I plan to take an introductory statistics course in the spring. But first I need to take a placement test, and my math is rusty. [more inside]
I need the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer of Calculus
For a number of reasons, I'm struggling with Calculus. Khan Academy has helped a great deal, but the problems are too simple and aren't quite getting me where I need to be to do the problems in the textbook. Problem is, I seem to learn best with online videos (must have captions!) and practice problems with instant feedback in just that manner. Is there anything available that will take me all the way from the basics up to the really hairy equations??
Any mathematicians out there know how this math trick might work?
It's a math trick that involves using someone's time of birth to find out their birthday [more inside]
Clearly, I don't know how to use my scientific calculator
This is driving me bananas. I'm using inverse tan (tan-1). My opposite leg is 0.5 and my adjacent leg is 1.5. So tanϴ= 0.5/1.5 -- which means ϴ=18.43.
So why, when I enter 0.5 ÷ 1.5 and then hit tan -1, do I get 0.3217? [more inside]
Where's the teachable moment in this math problem?
I am a long-term substitute teacher filling in for someone on maternity leave in a precalculus classroom. Last week I gave the first test of the marking period, which included a question on finding the intersections of a line with a circle. One of the students had an interesting alternate answer. [more inside]
How to I find information about this analysis problem?
I want to figure out how to compare time-to-resolution (TTR) for requests before and after a procedural change. There's a subtlety I came up against that others must have addressed, but I'm not sure how to find information it. [more inside]
What shape petit fours can I cut from a sheet cake s.t....
(1) Each cut is a straight line across an entire piece of cake, but not necessarily across the entire pan. (2) Cake is wasted only at the edges of the pan. (3) All the resulting petit fours come out the same shape and size (except for the wasted bits at the edges). Equilateral triangles work, as do isosceles triangles. Rectangles work, either in a grid or staggered like brickwork. Hexagons do not work. I think I'm looking for tilings of the plane by one convex polygon, but not necessarily a regular, edge-to-edge, or even periodic tiling. Help?
Soroban (Japanese abacus) training for third grader?
If you are familiar with soroban training for kids - popular in the southeast Asian community - or if you are an elementary teacher, can you please tell me if you think it's worthwhile as a method to teach a child who is struggling a bit with simple adding and subtracting (what her third grade teacher calls the math facts? [more inside]
How do I get the Teacher's Edition of IMP 3?
I'm a private tutor in Massachusetts, and I've recently started problems from the Interactive Mathematics Program Year 3 Activities book. While I'm familiar with probability, I'm not used to extended word problems like these, and I need to check my and my student's answers! How do I get a copy of the teacher's edition of IMP 3? I don't have a .edu email.
Seeking career change advice
My brother is looking for a new career direction and would love some suggestions for directions to look. Snowflakes within. [more inside]
Problem for physics, engineering, and other calculation hobbyists..
I need to figure out equivalent drop force. There's a standard that says certain kinds of industrial glass must not shatter when a 2" diameter, 1.2 pound steel ball is dropped on it from a height of 20.25 inches.
What I want to know is if I had a 20 pound object, at what (reduced?) height would I need to drop that object to generate the same impact force on the same surface?
Thanks!
What is a good way to learn the fundamentals of math?
I want real problem solving skills development for my niece. [more inside]
Can ducks do math?
Does a mother duck know if one of her babies is missing? If so, how? Can ducks count? Has anyone researched this?
How to calculate probability three things will be on same day of week?
If I know Event 1 will happen three times in a week, Event 2 will happen four times, and Event 3 twice, how can I tell how likely they will be to happen on the same day (assuming they're random)? [more inside]
Indie scientific calculators
I need to buy a new scientific calculator (a physical one, not a phone app). I stumbled upon Numworks, which seems great. I now wonder if there are other interesting innovative calculators from smaller companies that I have never heard of. [more inside]
Help me teach myself partial differential equations
After a long slog, I'm finally one credit short of graduating! I have a math elective left, and the most efficient/affordable way to do this is by earning credit for Calculus IV (a.k.a. PDEs) through a placement exam in about three weeks. But it's been a few years since I've done any math in earnest, and working through the textbook is proving to be a nightmare. Please recommend some resources for self-teaching! [more inside]
How to convey the largest possible number with conventional symbols?
The short version: I'm curious about how to represent the largest possible number in an arbitrarily-limited physical space (think, say, a sheet of paper with room for only so many legible characters), using only standard, commonly-recognized numbers and mathematical symbols. [more inside]
Help with a math problem
I'm trying to help a friend study for an exam using example problems from past exams, which were provided by their teacher as a study aid. This is strictly for test prep, provided by the instructor, and is not graded homework. Unfortunately answers were not provided.
One question has us stuck though, can you help? Details inside. [more inside]
Real-life based math problem
On my daily commute back home, I drive past ~15 gas stations. In my country, gas prices change daily and vary a bit from one station to the next. So that got me thinking: What would be the best method to decide whether to fill your tank on the station you're currently in front of or lose the current price forever and take your chances on the remaining stations? Assume each station sets their daily price randomly (but they are all within a $1 range), and we start with the reference of the price we paid last time.
Note: I can easily keep track of the lowest price on my way to work and then fill up on the way home, but I am more interested in the math problem than the practical issue.
What're the best resources for re-learning Math starting from Algebra?
Hi ya'll!,
I didn't always love math, but I sure do now! As I got more serious with game programming, I started to really get math. But I also ran into a serious issue: I mostly punted on it in high school and I was missing the basics. I managed to patch up my knowledge of games-useful trig, but now I'd like to go back and really dig in. What're my options? [more inside]
Physics/math problem - how to get from one position+velocity to another
I've got a problem I've been chewing on, and have it partly figured out, but haven't managed to distill it into a form I could, for example, code into a video game. Basically, if I have a starting position and velocity, and want to have a particular ending position and velocity after a given time, what movement accomplishes that with the smallest peak acceleration? I feel like this is probably a solved problem, but I don't know how to search for the topic effectively. [more inside]