Maths · @Jason’s Microblog!

“Take this quote from William Hamilton […]

We belong to opposite poles of algebra; since you… seem to consider Algebra as a ‘System of Signs and of their combinations,’ somewhat analogous to syllogisms expressed in letters; while I am never satisfied unless I think that I can look beyond or through the signs to the things signified.

You catch that? William Hamilton, who gave us our bizarro non-commutative generalization of the complex numbers, didn’t want algebra to be a science of symbols alone.
[…]
In brief: Algebra isn’t just hard for surly teens. It’s hard for anyone with an intellectual commitment to symbols having meanings.”

— Ben Orlin, What’s the use of math history?
https://mathwithbaddrawings.com/2024/11/19/whats-the-use-of-math-history/

#Maths #Mathematics #History

Original: https://toots.dgplug.org/@jason/113513282959520504

#maths, #mathematics, #history

Fellow #Programmers, #Coders (and possibly #Mathematicians) lend me wisdom!

I’m learning from books and I “know” the best way to learn from them is to work through them. But what I don’t know is how I’m doing. I’m often frustrated at my pace, since I don’t know what normal is.

And I need to learn stuff, to land a job. (I’m old. I want to pivot into a remote job, ergo devops. Anyway, that’s enough about me.)

So here’s the question(s),