Math Mods' Office - 2024-05-09

8:58 AM

Hello, I received an invite to mod's room by @Ѕᴀᴀᴅ, is this the room? I would like help with improving my question.

math.stackexchange.com/questions/4912356/…

This is the question.

I started editing it going through the points in math.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic

- I am studying mathematics at any level
- it is a mathematics concept understanding related question
- it is a mathematical puzzle

I am not sure if this is a research question as this question occured to me when thinking about an exercise in a Geometry I. problem book, but the thinking process that led to it seems to resonate with what might be involved in research level problem solving.

The ideas that contributed to this question come also from mathematicians, and educators, should I cite the work of professionals?

I am studying prealgebra and elementary geometry. Is this relevant?

Attila Vajda

9:44 AM

@amWhy

@MoisheKohan

@Peter

Please assist with improving this question with feedback.

Attila Vajda

11:40 AM

Also, what do I need to do to be able to ask new questions again? Should I just open a new account?

Also, people seem to be very quick to downvote, delete questions, and disallow others from making questions, but not so quick in providing feedback on this Math Stackexchange.

The email support was very friendly.

Attila Vajda

12:04 PM

I suggest not be so quick in downvoting and deleting people's questions, I was quite inspired to ask questions on this site, and received cool answers that I was happy with. But this is an annoying experience.

@amWhy

@XanderHenderson

What's going on?

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda You got a lot of feedback, from a lot of different people, indicating that they didn't understand what you were asking. Nobody understands your question about three circles making a triangle. If we don't understand what it means, how can we possibly provide an answer?

@amWhy I forgot to ping you---apologies. Thank you for the heads up.

Attila Vajda

Please provide exact guidance on how to improve it. I reformulated the question, into a near essay now.

@XanderHenderson

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda I can't provide guidance, because I don't know what you are asking. I don't understand the question, either.

Attila Vajda

Show what parts to change, and how, show structure, or else just open it and let it be.

Jakobian

I'm not sure if its ethical to ping lots of users to assist you with feedback for your question

Attila Vajda

12:14 PM

math.stackexchange.com/questions/4912356/…

You are the moderator, and you are present in the room, and moderators deleted the question. And you are supposed to give guidance, private feedback. I want to improve this question into a good question and I also have like at least a few more questions to ask.

Here

Xander Henderson

I have absolutely no idea what you are asking. I fundamentally do not understand your question. If I cannot understand your question, then I cannot help you.

Attila Vajda

Is it ethical to downvote and delete a learners question, in like a minute, and not provide feedback. Provide feedback, easy

Xander Henderson

Also, you misunderstand my role as a moderator. It is not my job to give guidance or provide feedback about specific questions. Indeed, I am not expected to be a content expert on material on the site. My job, as a moderator, is to arbitrate disputes between users and to enforce site policy.

2

Attila Vajda

I reformulated the question, according to the guidelines, so then open it. The guidelines don't say anything about you having to understand it.

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda Yes.

Jakobian

12:17 PM

You're not classified as a new user, you've been here for a year. You should have some grasp of rules of this site. If not, then well, okay, but rules still apply to you like for anyone else

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda How do you expect anyone to answer your question if they cannot understand your question? This is not about site guidelines---this is about basic human interaction.

The current version of your question contains the following:

What is that even supposed to mean?!

A badly typeset symbol is not a definition.

Attila Vajda

That's the definition, as an answer to a comment. I addressed a comment to define a triangle, and a circle.

So comment on it, and I am happy to revise my question.

As I did.

It was a revision.

Jakobian

It does look like a triangle, circle, and three circles equal to triangle on my screen

but still, its not a real definition (or actual conjecture)

Attila Vajda

The commenter said, you can define it any old way you like.

So I did, what did they comment? Nothing, because the question is closed.

How will they help me learn to define things, or clarify it if the question cannot evolve?

Because you don't understand it, and I gues you don't even care. But I do care, silly question as it might be.

It is a definition

I define a triangle as ⃤

Your browser does not display the triangle, I don't know.

Xander Henderson

That isn't a definition.

Or if it is a definition, then the answer to your question is "No", because the symbols are not the same thing.

Attila Vajda

12:23 PM

Alright, so I define the triangle as α.

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda That isn't a meaningful definition. I have no idea what that is supposed to mean.

Jakobian

Why are we here in the first place

Attila Vajda

Because you are the moderator and you are assisting me to improve this question.

Jakobian

like, what do you expect to gain from this conversation, and what is your issue

Attila Vajda

So apart from the mistyped definition the question is good?

Open the question

Improve it

Xander Henderson

12:25 PM

@AttilaVajda No, the question is not good. It makes no sense!

Attila Vajda

Give the ability back so that I can ask questions

Xander Henderson

No one except you understands what it means.

Attila Vajda

So how do I imrpve it, I made it into a page long essay.

Jakobian

the process of opening a question and so on, is largely by the community

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda Making it longer doesn't help. You need to make it clearer.

Jakobian

12:26 PM

if everyone decides your question deserves to be closed, then so it does

Attila Vajda

Which part to imrpove and how?

Everyone who?

Jakobian

everyone that uses this site and has enough reputation

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda I have already suggested that good place to start is by giving a proper definition of what you mean by "a triangle".

Attila Vajda

Cool

Jakobian

so you need to convince people that your question deserves to be re-opened

Attila Vajda

12:27 PM

A triangle is a convex hull of two points in R^2.

I wrote this.

Jakobian

and while someone can give you some advice, its still up to you to do this if you want it to be re-opened

Xander Henderson

The usual definition is that a triangle is a polygon with three vertices and three sides. A polygon is a closed polygonal chain. A closed polygonal chain has its own definition. At some point, we get down to the Euclidean axioms.

Jakobian

and so if someone says, your definition makes no sense, well, that might not be what community thinks

but it might be a reason why your question won't be re-opened

Xander Henderson

@AttilaVajda No, a line is the convex hull of two points.

Attila Vajda

Someone is not a community.

Xander Henderson

12:29 PM

A triangle might be the convex hull of three points.

In which case "No, three circles are not a triangle."

Jakobian

Someone is not community but community is made up of those "someones"

and they seem to agree in this case

if you convince people that your question deserves to be re-opened, they might begin thinking that it does, and vote to re-open it

there is a chance that they will

and to do that, you need to understand what makes a question a good question

and so you need to look at posts like this one to make sure you are appealing to the community's rules

and yes, its very complicated, but thats because there can be a lot of reasons why your question might be considered to not be a good question

but the simplistic views such as "I'm learning so I deserve to have my question re-opened" won't work

its just not how this site works

@XanderHenderson as a moderator, do you agree with what I said

Xander Henderson

@Jakobian As a moderator, I have expressed my opinion above, and I am not going to get into the trenches here. As a non-moderator, what you've said seems fine.

Attila Vajda

Anyway, don't worry too much about this, it's just a stupid maths question. I will try to improve it.

Attila Vajda

2:32 PM

What is the process to being able to ask more questions with this account? Should I just open a new account?

Martin Sleziak

@AttilaVajda You should read the relevant pages in the help center, if you're getting “We are no longer accepting questions/answers from this account”?

Several relevant links are given in the corresponding tag-info. And you might have a look at the previous questions on meta tagged post-ban.

There is also this FAQ post: What can I do when getting "We are no longer accepting questions/answers from this account"?

There is a section "Can I simply create a new account?" - and it says that the answer is "No".

Attila Vajda

10:35 PM

Of course you can just simply create a new account. But I think I won't because Math SE is not about mathematics learning. ou shouldn't just delete stuff, but give feedback, guidance, and allow time for learners to improve their questions. People are genuinely interested in their questions, while you seem to be genuinely interested in downvoting and deleting people's questions. It's not cool. You must change this to a friendlier, much more welcoming environment.

I made a question, people downvote delete it, blocked me from being able to make more questions, before I even saw the comments.

But I'm put off by this arguing, downvoting, deleting, bullying in the comments.

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$Mathematics$ Math Mods' Office