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14:18
@Chris'ssis sure! Thanks
@robjohn hehe, thank you very much! :-)
greetings
@Chris'ssis oh nice idea lol : P
@user153330 Hi. I mean it's going to be like a caricature, not a part from the main proof. The reader needs a proper frame of mind before reading some stuff. :-)
When I'm happy, I laugh, I do things easier. ;)
I have nothing to be happy about.
@JasperLoy eating & sleeping can make you very happy
14:27
@user153330 They can't make me happy.
@Chris'ssis hi! glad you're happy! : ) yeah i know like in the introduction of a chapter you do a special drawing
Hi @TedShifrin
@JasperLoy It's important your attitude. NEVER GIVE UP! FIGHT AND DEFEAT THE IMPOSSIBLE IF NEEDED! :-)
@Chris'ssis OK.
@iwriteonbananas: No, not ubiquitous ... Just around enough to keep you paranoid :) ... I do not have solutions written out for the exams, sorry. If there's a particular point you want to ask about, you should ask — if I can't answer, I'm sure Mike (oh, no, he hates point-set topology) or someone else will :P
hi @Jasper!
14:30
@user153330 Exactly :-)
hi @TedShifrin good morning
hi @user153330 and hi, mr eyeglasses :D
Really cool Putnam problem for you guys from some number of years ago (I'm assigning part as an extra credit problem to my multivariable class). Suppose $f\colon\Bbb R^2\to\Bbb R$ is continuous and $\int_R fdA=0$ for every rectangle $R$ with area $1$ (and sides parallel to the axes). Prove that the average value of $f$ on the $4$ sides of each such rectangle is the same. ... Then deduce $f=0$ everywhere. :P
Putnam problems Put you on Numb mode.
But for those of us who like multivariable analysis, this is a real cool question. It's not typical Putnam weird stuff.
Heya @Huy. You might like what I just posted above. :)
Oh, I need to clarify. The average value of $f$ on each of the $4$ sides of any such rectangle will be the same (not necessarily the same for different rectangles).
Huy
Huy
@TedShifrin: I'm a bit busy with GR currently, I'm afraid. It's so much. =_=
14:40
Yeah, no joke :)
Is Stephen Hawking really smart, or is he famous just because he is paralysed?
To the best of my knowledge, @Jasper, absolutely the former.
Is John Nash really smart, or is he famous just because he is crazy?
To the best of my knowledge, @Jasper, absolutely the former.
Yes. His early work was phenomenal. I don't think he did much after the 60s ... But he's still renowned for his Nash Embedding Theorem and his thesis work on game theory [Nash equilibrium] (which I do not know personally).
@Jasper: Is this going to be an inductive list? :D
14:44
@TedShifrin Nope, my list ends. When I think about how bad my problems are, I try to think about these two fellows to give myself some consolation.
Huy
Huy
@TedShifrin: The weird thing about GR is: Usually, when going through some topic in physics, I struggle understanding the point of certain formulae but it becomes a bit more understandable as soon as I see examples. In GR, the examples somewhat confuse me even more.
@Huy work out more examples and read more papers
I haven't learned enough GR to be of any use, @Huy, but there is are a lot of layers to it.
Huy
Huy
@user153330: I wish I had so much free time to read papers.
@Huy i hope you have enough free time
14:46
Don't the good texts do examples reasonably well, @Huy? I have not studied the books carefully, but I looked at Misner, Thorne, Wheeler and Sachs & Wu when I was in grad school.
We don't need to be pedantic about correcting non-native speakers' English, guys.
Huy
Huy
@TedShifrin: I'm going through the lecture notes from my lecture still, because after all that will be what is tested. I'll go through Caroll's famous lecture notes after the exam.
Although I have done so to @Pedro once or twice :D
OK, I don't know about Carroll.
Sometimes lecturers improve exposition; sometimes they don't. I hope your lecturer is a good one, @Huy.
Huy
Huy
@TedShifrin: He lectured QM last year, when I took it, and I rather liked his very mathematical approach of it. He did the same with GR, but I have a lot more trouble coping with it now, probably because the subject is so much more difficult (at this level).
@TedShifrin: I remember some professor suggesting me to take mechanics before QM, and I did because he told me so. Actually, mechanics was much more useful for GR so far, I hardly needed it in QM (just for intuition, a bit).
the euclidean algorithm is a much more commonly used tool than I ever thought it would be when I first learned it
Huy
Huy
@SamuelYusim: I haven't used it ever since coming across it in abstract algebra. :P
14:52
same for partial fractions, to a lesser extent
@SamuelYusim iff you're doing integrals
You can prove or calculate partial fractions decompositions USING the Euclidean algorithm!!!
@Huy, I'm taking a course in fields and galois theory this term so that explains that
also @user153330, they matter when you're dealing with generating functions which is what I've been using them for lately
@TedShifrin Thanks for using CAPS and triple exclamation!!!
LOL, I didn't want it to be ignored, @Jasper. Perhaps I'll get removed for yelling :)
Huy
Huy
14:55
http://www.homegate.ch/www/ftp/hgoa/doc/201410071030515088289.pdf
Who on earth designs a flat where one has to walk THROUGH the bathroom in order to reach the shower/toilet???
in the US that's not at all unusual, since the toilet is not a separate room the way it is in Europe :)
Huy
Huy
@TedShifrin: It is not very often seperate, at least in Switzerland. But I've never seen a floor plan where you'd have to pass the whole bathroom to get to the toilet. Toilet and shower or even toilet and bath being in the same room is rather common.
My toilet bowl and shower are in the same room.
@Huy Separate.
OK, time for me to work ... Bubye.
when I was in london the hotel had the shower and sink in the same room as the beds and such, and put the toilet in its own room
Huy
Huy
14:57
Have fun.
that was messed up, honestly
Huy
Huy
@SamuelYusim: I've seen flats with the shower in the kitchen, or almost.
@SamuelYusim Cool.
not cool if you're on a high school trip sharing a room with 3 other dudes
It's good to see one another naked.
Huy
Huy
15:02
@SamuelYusim: Maybe if you're a girl it's a problem, but I don't think as a male it should be.
I dunno if it's different where you guys are from but that's just not something that happens here.
@Huy It should not be a problem for boys and girls sharing the same room. People should be allowed to walk naked on earth.
Huy
Huy
@SamuelYusim: It doesn't really happen here either, but I wouldn't consider it a big problem if it did in some hostel.
@SamuelYusim: Are you sure you were in a hotel though, and not in some cheap hostel?
yeah it was a hotel
but I can guarantee that it was cheap regardless
Huy
Huy
@SamuelYusim: Do you remember its name?
15:06
nope. I don't think I even knew the name when I was there.
Huy
Huy
@SamuelYusim: The 3 other dudes were some of your classmates or so though?
Huy
Huy
Then it's really not that bad. I thought they were 3 complete strangers.
honestly I might rather have strangers see me naked than friends
We should organise an MSE shower. Everyone strips and showers together.
Huy
Huy
15:08
@JasperLoy: Sorry, I charge for that.
@SamuelYusim: Is it not usual to shower after PE in your country?
nobody took showers after gym class, no
I'm from canada, by the way
@SamuelYusim That's why school kids mostly stink, lol.
Huy
Huy
@SamuelYusim: It's very common here to do, so maybe that's why I don't find it as repelling as you do.
yeah, that makes sense
In the army where I am we all see each other naked.
Huy
Huy
15:11
@JasperLoy: True though, when some kids don't shower after PE, the classroom stinks really bad after class. =_=
@Huy Stinks of Swiss cheese, LOL.
Huy
Huy
@JasperLoy: At least.
Sweaty men smell like cheese and sweaty women smell like onions, a study said.
@TedShifrin What have you done now?
@PedroTamaroff Hello Pedro. I was not angry with you, in case you think I am.
@huy Change your pic to a recent one.
15:16
You paged me, Sir @Pedro? :D
Hi Madam @ted.
@TedShifrin You paged me first.
Huy
Huy
@JasperLoy: That is a very recent one, relatively spoken.
@Huy That's what they teach you in GR.
Yes, @Pedro, I was telling people not to correct non-native speakers' English. But I admitted to having corrected yours :P
Huy
Huy
15:17
@JasperLoy: I've studied it well.
How're you doing, @Pedro? Oh, you might like that problem I posed above.
@TedShifrin Hehehe. But that's fine.
Oh, Pete told me he voted for you, @Pedro :D
@TedShifrin Ah! Tell him it's nice to hear from him. =)
LOL, I did mention you guys were complaining about his problem. It was only slightly mis-stated :P
15:20
@TedShifrin His problem?
@TedShifrin Reading.
that point-set topology stuff that Kaj posted ...
@TedShifrin After reading such problems I feel dumb as hell. Perhaps it's because I'm just starting.
That problem was from a year I took it I think.
@Miguelgondu Hell is not dumb.
Yes, @Mike, it should have been one of your years. It's a very cool problem.
15:21
@PedroTamaroff How'd you know?
@TedShifrin Is it genuinely difficult? Doesn't feel like it.
@Miguelgondo: Typically I can do only a few Putnam problems each year if I try hard. But this problem fits me better :)
@Miguelgondu It is known.
You're probably ignoring the area 1 condition, @Pedro
No, the first part is an appropriate challenge problem for my students. The deduction that $f=0$ everywhere is a bit sneaky, and I have to rethink it ...
15:22
@TedShifrin I wonder if say Tao can do all the Putnam problems...
I would assume so, @Jasper.
@MikeMiller No, I read it alright.
@PedroTamaroff by whom?, can I see the demonstration?
LOL @Pedro: A fine mess you've started.
@Miguelgondu No. It's axiomatic.
15:23
@TedShifrin I wish that my mental illness transforms my brain, so that after I recover I can also do all Putnam problems, lol.
@PedroTamaroff In ZFC?, didn't know that.
Well, @Jasper, you can dream :)
@Miguelgondu I just had KFC for dinner.
smacks @Jasper
That stuff is terrible for you, BTW.
If that's what you want to do, @Jasper.
15:25
@TedShifrin Anyway, although Tao can do all Putnam problems, he can't solve RH because he is not crazy. But there is hope for me because I am crazy, lol.
Huy
Huy
KFC is the only thing I miss in Switzerland, really.
Doesn't exactly fit your obsession with Jack Lee, @Jasper :D
Personally, I liked the Putnam precisely because my school threw money at me for it, and not because of the problems. I found the problems mostly uninteresting.
@MikeMiller They rewarded you with money?
@JasperLoy Then start working on it.
15:25
You're more combinatorially-minded than I am, @Mike, but it's never fit my strengths, what few those are.
@Oracle Hi, I am reading your blog now.
Mission successful!
@Jasper There was an award for the top scorer (or more, if there's a near tie). This wasn't hard to get as very few people at my school took it.
@Miguelgondu Now you do!
You know, if you know who is reading your blog at that time, you can tell his location from your blog statistics.
15:27
If I had known that, @Mike, I definitely would have made you pay for lunch! :D
@PedroTamaroff I'll invent my own axiomatic system, with blackjack and hookers.
@Miguelgondu That sounds good.
@Ted Be reasonable; I spent it all within a week!
@JasperLoy I know where you are from. I don't require any Wordpress to know that.
@Oracle How do you know? You read the transcript from long ago?
15:28
@PedroTamaroff A bit of a personal question, how's studying in Argentina?
I'm realizing that rent will probably take the majority of my retirement allotment, @Mike. Maybe moving to an expensive city was a dumb idea :D
@Miguelgondu Well, it's free.
@JasperLoy An analogy.
@Oracle OK. There are a few people in the world with my name, and a few people in my location with my name.
15:30
Come on, I'm THE Oracle.
@Oracle Are you in the same location as I am?
Of course, no.
I love Calvin and Hobbes.
I love math and women.
Um, ... OK.
15:31
I am surprised nobody flagged me yet, lol.
@JasperLoy Then why aren't you working on it?
@Oracle Well, if you have been following my news, you know why.
Of course, I know why. But you should start working.
@Ted After spending a bunch of time on handlebody diagrams, I'm sick of my 3D brain.
LOL @Mike. You're ready to move up to 4D, of course.
15:34
Yes, and that's just enough dimensions for me.
I just learnt that there is no Windows 9.
Although my condition now is not good, I have stopped feeling dizzy when I climb the stairs. Also, my hair seems to be starting to grow back a little.
@JasperLoy That's good news.
@Oracle Well, not really.
@Mike: Here you go.
@JasperLoy Why?
15:40
@Oracle Good news is the day I get well and go to grad school. The other things don't matter. But I get your point, but I just wanna say my point too.
Hi @Jasper @Ted
@DonLarynx Hi. Have you been playing soccer?
hi @Don
@Jasper I sprained my ankle on Saturday and I have to recover.
@Ted I dropped topology.
@JasperLoy What prevents you from going to grad school?
15:41
@DonLarynx Just chop it off, lol.
@Oracle I need to get well first. Otherwise, I cannot function optimally.
Ah, @Don. If you haven't already taken a serious real analysis class, topology would be inappropriate. I haven't kept a scorecard of your background :)
@TedShifrin When you say the average on each side, you mean to keep the orientation?
@JasperLoy In the meanwhile you could start studying.
@Oracle By the way, where are you from, if it is not a secret?
No, @Pedro. Average value of $f$ on a region $\Omega$ is just $\dfrac1{\text{Vol}(\Omega)}\displaystyle\int_\Omega fdV$. (Here it's just intervals, of course.)
15:43
@JasperLoy That's a secret. But not Singapore!
@Oracle I see. Hmm, I don't know where Singapore is...
@TedShifrin But intervals have zero measure.
@JasperLoy Sure?
We're talking about average value on the edges of the rectangle, @Pedro, so those are $1$-dimensional integrals.
@TedShifrin OK.
15:45
BTW, @Pedro, I don't remember if you were here yesterday for a question from two of my great students. Give an example of a bounded open set in $\Bbb R^2$ whose boundary does not have area $0$.
@Oracle I live in Antarctica.
Good wifi you have there, @Jasper.
@TedShifrin Yeah, it's not many of us here.
@JasperLoy But you lied.
15:46
@TedShifrin So, it is quite clear that $f$ vanishes on every rectangle of integral area.
It is, @Pedro?
With parallel sides.
@Ted I have taken Real analysis 1
@DonLarynx Then go ahead and take topology.
Did you do well, @Don? How far did your course get?
If you're less interested in abstract math than some people, topology is not the wisest choice. It's pretty abstract, and I don't know what text your prof is using, either.
15:50
@TedShifrin So, you divide the rectangle into $n$ rectangles of area $1$.
Rectangles always have parallel sides, @Pedro. I don't see remotely how it's clear. The integral is vanishing on such, sure.
@Ted I obtained a C+. We got up to sequences and series and spent a lot of time on compactness.
@Don, with a C+ you probably should not be going on to topology.
@TedShifrin I mean sides parallel (to the axis).
Sequences and series of functions, @Don?
15:51
@Ted yeah
yeah, sure, @Pedro, but still I insist only the integral is clear!
@TedShifrin What is not clear?
OH.
Yes, I meant the integral of $f$ vanishes.
We were using point-set and geometric topology by wiley 2nd edition
@Ted
OK, @Don. Generally, I would advise students that they should have at least a high B in analysis to go on to topology. So I concur with you. I would have given that advice ages ago.
By Wiley? I know no such author. Is that the author or the publisher? @Don
@DonLarynx Willard?
15:52
Well, sure, @Pedro, but not heading in a useful direction :P
Shick
sorry
wiley is the publisher
Huy
Huy
Munkres, all day long. ^_^
I just seem to be less interested in abstract math than algorithms for now. I was just sitting in topology trying to be interested but it wasn't clicking, so I just thought "oh well, maybe another semester".

In other news, I am looking very forward to my numerical analysis 2 class. I am already almost done with project 1, and it's not due until 3 weeks from now. There are 6 projects and no midterms/finals.
Yeah, @Don, maybe take more applied stuff that uses analysis.
Although you said you didn't like PDE. Hmm. :(
Maybe you're really a discrete applied type or computer scientist.
@Ted I liked graph theory.
and number theory isn't so bad either
15:55
Yeah, I think you're headed down the CS/discrete math path. You should learn some cryptography if you've had some algebra.
Should I take abstract algebra 2 @Ted?
OK, time for me to go teach and ruin people's minds.
Huy
Huy
@TedShifrin: Good luck!
It's harder than abstract algebra 1, typically, @Don. If you still are interested in proofs, sure. How'd you do in algebra 1 ?
@TedShifrin For the topology problem, I am thinking joining many parallel open sticks of positive decreasing width might work.
15:57
I got a C. but we had the worst book. ever. like it was abysmal. not even the teacher liked it, and I didn't show much interest (due to the book).
but I may give it a second shot if it's worth anything
@DonLarynx Which book?
Hmm, @Don, again a C makes continuing dubious, but if you're motivated by a good teacher, you should do it. Yeah, what book, before I leave?
@TedShifrin Maybe it's yours, lol.
cmon man
So, @Pedro, you're basically doing it in one dimension?
Don't know that book, @Don. Looks like it's slanted towards future high school teachers, which is not necessarily horrible.
15:58
@DonLarynx The title itself gives me a bad impression.
@TedShifrin I want to mimick taking many lines over the rationals but trying to make it open.
Have fun in class @Ted
OK, @Pedro, keep me posted :P
@TedShifrin Do you know of a solution?
Perhaps it is not possible?
Nothing is impossible.
Impossible is nothing.
16:03
Proofs aren't bad, I personally like them. Topology was too abstract for me, however.
The name abstract algebra should imply something....hmmmmm...what is it?
It implies the notion of abstract structures.
Abstract groups vs concrete groups.
Another reason why I dropped topology is because now I only have class at 9 and 3:30 on Mondays instead of 9, 130, and 330. yay!
That's not a good reason.
cries with tears my matrix solver works :)
@Jasper!
@DonLarynx Good. How many days already since that thing?
16:14
I began solving it on Saturday afternoon
Now I have solved the matrix solver algorithm :O
@DonLarynx LOL, I am talking about that thing, you know...
what thing
?
@DonLarynx The thing you keep telling me about, lol.
I don't know what u r talking about, sorry.
Now you are just being naughty with me.
16:15
wat
You must have just done it again.
Now I expect a whole bunch of flags.
Hey, has anyone here had the problem, where you understand everything taught in class, but when faced with a test, you just dont have enough time to work everything out?
@cirpis It's not just time, it can be other factors.
Well its time for me mostly, Im not too stressed at tests, I usually get trough 3/4 of the test and then times up. And I can easily see the idea needed to solve the rest of it too. Normaly I just accept it, but now its becoming quite an issue since my grades have started dropping significantly.
So I wonder, are there any methods for doing things more efficiently?
Hello @DanielFischer!!!
I want to show that the subsets of finite sets are finite sets.

That's what I have tried so far:

Let $A$ be a finite set.
Then $A \sim n$, for a natural number $n \in \omega$.
That means that there is a $1-1$ and surjective function $f: A \to n$.
Let $B \subset A$.
That means that $\forall x(x \in B \rightarrow x \in A)$.
What bijective function could we take in order to show that $B$ is also a finite set?
16:29
@cirpis exposure.
@evinda You can without loss of generality assume that $A = n$. Then $B$ is a subset of a well-ordered set, hence well-ordered, and you have an order-isomorphism of $B$ to an initial segment of $A$.
I may make a matrix solver using Cramer's rule next.
@DonLarynx what do you mean by that?
I made a matrix solver using Gaussian elimination i.stack.imgur.com/Lh9SO.png but I may construct one using Cramer's rule
Whats the time complexity of your solver?
16:38
I don't know what that is yet.
Possibly $O(n^2)$ @cirpis
16:52
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@DanielFischer Could you explain it further to me? Why can we assume that A=n?
@cirpis Practise past year papers if you really want to score in exams. But I never did that.
@cirpis exposure = expose yourself to the material
not too long per day, but every day :)
@DonLarynx And what does exposing yourself to the material mean?
Checking my notes, working out some problems at home I suppose? I do that, but maybe not enough?
17:00
to surround yourself with whatever you want to study
@cirpis do interesting problems that cannot be solved in one day.
like problem 60 from a calculus book (if you are interested in calculus) or problem 20 from analysis book (if analysis is your interest)
when doing long division should i only take i digit at a time or do 2. ever time i do 2 i end up with big complex numbers
@Alex example?
25/435
@DonLarynx Oh, that kind of stuff :D Sounds nice. Thanks for the advice!
should i work out 25 into 4 first or just goto 25 into 43?
17:08
25 into 43
you can't do 25 into 4
@Pedro: Sure, I know examples.
@TedShifrin Oh, OK.
I think something in the lines of what I said should work.
Hi @TedShifrin I am going to try to sleep more normal hours.
I think 2 am to 10 am would be good.
@evinda We have a bijection $f\colon A \to n$ by assumption. Then instead of $B\subset A$ just look at $f(B) \subset n$. Since the restriction of $f$ is a bijection between $B$ and $f(B)$, you know that $B$ is finite if and only if $f(B)$ is.
2
Hi @Ted. How was class?
Or are you texting :o
@Jasper that sounds good. What's your sleep schedule right now?
17:14
@DonLarynx No schedule at all, lol.
@Jasper consider when most (productive) people are awake.
@DanielFischer Hi Daniel how you doing?...quick question, possibly...Do you think my short proof in comments of this post works if you take $m$ large enough?
@pourjour hi
I keep thinking pourjour = pourquoi
17:23
@JasperLoy I mixed two terms of french language (pourquoi = why et jour = day)
@pourjour Aha! My knowledge of French is limited to one or two words, lol.
it's not hard to be learned
I have a question in analysis?
is the simple limit of increasing functions is increasing?
@pourjour: Your question doesn't make sense
@DonLarynx Topology is not abstract if you can see it.
@BalarkaSen Happy Birthday!!! May all your wishes come true!!! :)
17:36
@Balarka I can't see it.
Particularly because I am not interested.
why are you not interested?
@BalarkaSen happy birthday!! =))
thanks @user153330 @evinda.
Are you asking me to rationalize my feelings? It is unnecessary @BalarkaSen
How is your day? @BalarkaSen :)
17:38
@BalarkaSen so you're 15 i guess? or 16?
15.
very interesting number
@DonLarynx Why?
unique number that can be written as a product of 3 and 5 in 2 ways.
:P
@evinda alright
Nice @BalarkaSen
@DonLarynx i never asked you to tensor with Q. just why you're not interested.
17:41
I don't know @Balarka.
@pourjour is the simple limit of increasing functions is increasing?

Here you are asking "is **x** is increasing"? Remove the is. Next, what is a simple limit?
@DonLarynx it's about analysis in banach space
simple is $\forall x \in \mathbb{A} \lim_{n \to \infty} f_n(x) = f(x)$
@DanielFischer We want to to show that there is a bijective function from B to f(B), right?
And we know that the function f is bijective. How do we conclude that there is a g:B->f(B) that is bijective?
@TedShifrin hello.
Hi @Balarka: So you're a counterexample to the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic?
Why would I be a counterexample to FTA?
"unique number that can be written as a product of 3 and 5 in 2 ways.
:P"
15 can be written as a product of 3 and 5 in two different ways.
And no other integer is equal to 15.
"different," eh?
I'm in my prime for just a few more weeks ...
3 * 5 = 5 * 3.
My version of FTA uses unordered sets.
As well it should!
17:50
So i'd consider {3, 5} and {5, 3} to be different.
@TedShifrin I'm in my semiprimes. 14, 15, etc.
:P
Gosh I'm bad at making puns.
@DanielFischer If we have $A \subset B$ then do we conclude that $f(A) \subset f(B)$ since f is injective?
More like you're in your duplicit years, @Balarka.
You're still in your prime, @Ted?
17:55
Yes, last one for a while, @Mike.
@Mike Why don't you just unignore me.
Ah, we're using different notions of 'your prime'. ;)
Well, you had to be there ...
looks like Mike and you really did switch places @Ted
when converting minute to hours multiply by 60 ?
17:57
Try an example, Alex.
clearly wrong
i type before i think
Well, stop that :D
@BalarkaSen I'd use $(3,5)$ and $(5,3)$. The curly braces are usually for unordered sets.
LOL @robjohn
@TedShifrin just sayin'

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