What's the hardest mathematical thing you know?

Evoss · 27 Apr 2012 at 10:51

Mathematically solved the meaning of life.

Tokenbrit · 27 Apr 2012 at 11:08

Sorry but a Fourier transform is pretty simple conceptually for degree level maths, it is just a change of basis (a basis which has a nice physical meaning).

Lightnix · 27 Apr 2012 at 12:18

Oh I have absolutely no idea. I seem to have been taught a lot of different mathematical systems this year (first year computer science undergrad!

) but they still seem quite 'new' to me. I'll just go with the safe thing and say A-level C4 integration.

Alex74 · 27 Apr 2012 at 12:42

Ehhh probably something from Differential Topology or Riemannian Geometry. The applications are nice and simple but getting down and dirty with fully rigorous mathematics deriving and working with it gets rather sticky..

crinkleshoes · 27 Apr 2012 at 12:46

If you "know" it... then it's not hard anymore

sunny007 · 27 Apr 2012 at 12:47

1x1 =1

I win

Peedee · 27 Apr 2012 at 13:58

quantum master equations

PapaLazaru · 27 Apr 2012 at 14:17

12x table off by heart. :cool:

Lopéz · 27 Apr 2012 at 18:21

Tokenbrit said:
Sorry but a Fourier transform is pretty simple conceptually for degree level maths, it is just a change of basis (a basis which has a nice physical meaning).

It isn't if the concept and purpose of the transform is not passed on to the learner.

I know someone who is very intelligent but a poor speller - because they were never taught to structure words or that words were built from parts of component words. The methods used by that person's teacher did not engage them and therefore they came away with a poor overall understanding of the topic.

It's difficult in a classroom environment because people have all sorts of different learning styles.

Shayper · 27 Apr 2012 at 18:50

King Damager said:
[GD]Shayper.[/GD]

I did the Differential Equations, but did Matrices last year which I think is technically FP1/2 level.

My general 'stats' knowledge vastly outweighs my maths knowledge though. DW tests, F-Tests, T-Tests, Gauss Markov Theorem's etc... A lot of Econometrics basically.

kd

Not sure I see what you're implying there old chap

|Thomas| · 27 Apr 2012 at 19:04

Well, looking at my fourth year particle theory notes for an exam I have in 3 weeks time, I'd say gauge field theory

. It is physics, but the maths in it makes my brain bleed...

mistercrabb · 27 Apr 2012 at 19:08

My phone is set with a maths alarm and it asks me simple maths formulas before the alarm turns off.
I sometimes solve them at 5:45AM without screaming.

Mr Jack · 27 Apr 2012 at 19:15

The hardest maths I actually still remember well enough to cite it off the top of my head is a set of results about the mathematics of infinity (using cardinality). I have an MMath so I studied stuff harder than that but I no longer remember it.

Cold_And_Miserable · 27 Apr 2012 at 19:30

The series 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4 + ... 1/n = Log(n) + Y Euler–Mascheroni constant

The series 1 + 1/4 + 1/9 ... + 1/n^2 = Pi^2 / 4

The series 1 + 1/8 + 1/27 + ... +1/N^3 = Pi^3 / 9

i ^ i = e^-Pi*K/2 for K = 1,3,5...

I wouldn't have the foggiest idea how to prove them. Euler proved 1/n^2 using trigonometry.

Judgeneo · 27 Apr 2012 at 20:11

Most difficult bit of maths I know? Well I'm currently revising Cholesky Factorisation for my exam next week, but I couldn't say what the most complicated bit of maths I know is. Probably something within the fields of complex analysis or measure theory.

As to Castiels question, have a read of this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiom
Everything is based on the axioms of mathematics, as for the incompleteness theorem, well thats beyond my expertise. Essentially you can't have a system of axioms that prove themself, and define the natural numbers? I just assume the axioms are true

Curio · 27 Apr 2012 at 21:15

I'm probably the worst person in the world at maths. I've actually wondered if maybe I have dyscalculia

GCSE maths was way too hard for me - I was pretty near the bottom of the pile in my year. I think of myself as generally being above average in terms of general intelligence....maybe right on average at worst......but my brain cannot accept maths. I am numerically retarded

RomanNose · 27 Apr 2012 at 21:18

I don't think anyone should give up on a subject, just try khan academy as he is very clear about concepts.
Has almost everything up to undergrad level.

psd99 · 27 Apr 2012 at 21:32

log equations
back in days we had P1, P2, and P3.

P1 and P3 were okay but P2 was hard for me so many log equations killed me
really enjoyed P3 - the integration and differentiation

nydryl · 27 Apr 2012 at 21:42

lukeharvest said:
Maths is maths, from the first line of any proof - to the end. It's rather inexplicable in any other language than maths really.

I don't mean to be rude, and I'm sure you're a better mathematician than I am, but I tend to find that the people who resort to an explanation like this are the very same people who don't fully understand their work.

I may be wrong (there are obviously exceptions), but it's an observation that tends to be fairly close to the mark.

As for the hardest mathematical thing I know? Whatever I'm trying to learn at the time.

Number_25 · 27 Apr 2012 at 21:45

I'm pretty bad with my Maths, I'm in the middle of re-sitting my GCSE's before I go off to University.