@r9m I was pretty disappointed at my oral exam simulation today. He asked me to prove AM-GM (LOL), then to prove more trivial inequalities and apply those to a dull series... Not in the same league as the problems I posted recently...
After what I went through yesterday with some 100+K user ignoring someone's explicit instructions to give NO hints — let alone solutions — because of a test ... I'm fed up with everyone here. Of course, the kid shouldn't be going on line to get clarification that his professor won't provide. Pfeh to everything.
@Chris'ssis Uh i was wondering ... I told you to send me the proofs of your awesome integrals if you had some time to write them down/scan them/whatever, but.... is there a way to send messages in SE ? (except the chat)
Yes, @Alex, I did too ... So I was furious at the responders, not so much at the kid. But what idiot prof gives take-home exams in this day and age? Are they just oblivious?
@TedShifrin, it's true that there was simply no way we'd be finishing the exams in just a few hours. IIRC, very lengthy problem sets comprised most of the grades anyways.
what he did was write his own problems and make them incredibly difficult. He viewed the take-homes as learning experiences rather than tests... and I did learn a lot.
@Hippalectryon :-) keep in mind @TedShifrin is a great professor as many said here, but I have no background in mathematics. So, my book will be much cheaper. ;)
@Chris'ssis: Quality of books and quality of teachers are probably not related. Plenty of horrid of both.
Yes, @Alex, me too ... of course, physical chemistry is so much multivariable calculus, which I have always loved. But I loved the mathematical flavor and the fact that everything explained high school chemistry :P
Thermodynamics ... as opposed to organic or inorganic chemistry. It's the nuts and bolts explaining the underpinnings of chemical reactions and processes. @Hippa
@Hippalectryon, I think it depends on who is teaching the course. My dad, a chemistry professor, has expressed disdain for organic courses because many of them focus on memorization.
A good course should have a few basics and then lots of analytical application of the principles ... but it seems a lot of organic chemistry results in sheer memorization :(
@G.T.R I am more that tempted to use the Silent Killing Jutsu on a silent night to whoever asks those on an interview !! :P .. did you know how to prove them btw ? :-)
@skullpatrol, perhaps. There's a very articulate Feynman quote about the importance of understanding math in the physical sciences though. I wish I could find it.
@r9m $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty\sum_{k=1}^n = \sum_{k=1}^\infty \sum_{n=k}^\infty$$ he didn't give it away though (just pointed out that the sums could be swapped in a certain manner)
@skullpatrol, I'm not familiar with that one. The one I'm thinking of is from his interview "The Pleasure of Finding things Out" which was hosted by (PBS?)
@G.T.R hmm .. was that sufficient to you ? So he wanted you to do it Kedlaya's way .. the discrete from of Carleman can also be derived from the integral form .. :-) thats the other way I know of :)