Sources of Math Problems to Maintain One's “Chops”
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I got partway through a graduate degree in math and I'm now doing something "completely different," but it bothers me that my skills are fading away. I don't have a lot of time, but I would like to devote 15 - 30 minutes a day to working on a problem, or some problems.
I'm curious where you'd look for problems if you were in a similar situation...
Here are some ideas to get started:
- Martin Gardner books
- Project Euler (but do the problems without computers)
- Measurement by Paul Lockhart
I wonder about textbooks. It's hard to push oneself through textbooks outside of a class, peers, deadlines. Maybe there are some which would be friendlier than others in this regard...?
EDIT:
The 15 - 30 minutes thing is a bit arbitrary. I'm just saying I can't count on having lots of time to spend. I started reading Munkres's Topology again, and Gleason's analysis book, intending to take my time, do most of the exercises, etc..
I suppose there aren't any specific skills I'm most interested in maintaining, but I was just looking to see if you had some ideas for ways to keep my head in the game.
soft-question
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
I got partway through a graduate degree in math and I'm now doing something "completely different," but it bothers me that my skills are fading away. I don't have a lot of time, but I would like to devote 15 - 30 minutes a day to working on a problem, or some problems.
I'm curious where you'd look for problems if you were in a similar situation...
Here are some ideas to get started:
- Martin Gardner books
- Project Euler (but do the problems without computers)
- Measurement by Paul Lockhart
I wonder about textbooks. It's hard to push oneself through textbooks outside of a class, peers, deadlines. Maybe there are some which would be friendlier than others in this regard...?
EDIT:
The 15 - 30 minutes thing is a bit arbitrary. I'm just saying I can't count on having lots of time to spend. I started reading Munkres's Topology again, and Gleason's analysis book, intending to take my time, do most of the exercises, etc..
I suppose there aren't any specific skills I'm most interested in maintaining, but I was just looking to see if you had some ideas for ways to keep my head in the game.
soft-question
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
What skills are you concerned about sharpening?
$endgroup$
– Don Thousand
Dec 18 '18 at 21:13
4
$begingroup$
I think Marvin is actually called Martin! (I can't make a 1-character edit to correct it, but as the post author you can.)
$endgroup$
– timtfj
Dec 18 '18 at 21:32
1
$begingroup$
I do not make a habit of Project Euler problems, but I would not recommend trying to really answer them without a computer. The problems are designed with programming in mind; they are meant to be such that even getting a computer to do it requires ingenuity. So they are presumably designed to require huge computations; definitely not a 15-30 minute thing! That said, if you wanted to then you could try to think about what the best algorithm would be; but then imo you might as well implement it to make sure it works the way you want it to.
$endgroup$
– Will R
Dec 18 '18 at 22:16
$begingroup$
So similarly I studied math and now I am doing something that does not at all use my studies, though I did get the PhD. I use this site. It seems that when school is out, good problems are few and far between, but during the fall and spring semesters there's lots to do. I also still do my research as a hobby, with no plans of publishing unless I hit the jackpot.
$endgroup$
– Matt Samuel
Dec 19 '18 at 2:38
$begingroup$
Fixed that spelling blip. Thanks timtfj.
$endgroup$
– user3050028
Dec 20 '18 at 19:45
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I got partway through a graduate degree in math and I'm now doing something "completely different," but it bothers me that my skills are fading away. I don't have a lot of time, but I would like to devote 15 - 30 minutes a day to working on a problem, or some problems.
I'm curious where you'd look for problems if you were in a similar situation...
Here are some ideas to get started:
- Martin Gardner books
- Project Euler (but do the problems without computers)
- Measurement by Paul Lockhart
I wonder about textbooks. It's hard to push oneself through textbooks outside of a class, peers, deadlines. Maybe there are some which would be friendlier than others in this regard...?
EDIT:
The 15 - 30 minutes thing is a bit arbitrary. I'm just saying I can't count on having lots of time to spend. I started reading Munkres's Topology again, and Gleason's analysis book, intending to take my time, do most of the exercises, etc..
I suppose there aren't any specific skills I'm most interested in maintaining, but I was just looking to see if you had some ideas for ways to keep my head in the game.
soft-question
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
$endgroup$
I got partway through a graduate degree in math and I'm now doing something "completely different," but it bothers me that my skills are fading away. I don't have a lot of time, but I would like to devote 15 - 30 minutes a day to working on a problem, or some problems.
I'm curious where you'd look for problems if you were in a similar situation...
Here are some ideas to get started:
- Martin Gardner books
- Project Euler (but do the problems without computers)
- Measurement by Paul Lockhart
I wonder about textbooks. It's hard to push oneself through textbooks outside of a class, peers, deadlines. Maybe there are some which would be friendlier than others in this regard...?
EDIT:
The 15 - 30 minutes thing is a bit arbitrary. I'm just saying I can't count on having lots of time to spend. I started reading Munkres's Topology again, and Gleason's analysis book, intending to take my time, do most of the exercises, etc..
I suppose there aren't any specific skills I'm most interested in maintaining, but I was just looking to see if you had some ideas for ways to keep my head in the game.
soft-question
soft-question
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
edited Dec 20 '18 at 19:53
user3050028
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
asked Dec 18 '18 at 21:04
user3050028user3050028
242
242
1
$begingroup$
What skills are you concerned about sharpening?
$endgroup$
– Don Thousand
Dec 18 '18 at 21:13
4
$begingroup$
I think Marvin is actually called Martin! (I can't make a 1-character edit to correct it, but as the post author you can.)
$endgroup$
– timtfj
Dec 18 '18 at 21:32
1
$begingroup$
I do not make a habit of Project Euler problems, but I would not recommend trying to really answer them without a computer. The problems are designed with programming in mind; they are meant to be such that even getting a computer to do it requires ingenuity. So they are presumably designed to require huge computations; definitely not a 15-30 minute thing! That said, if you wanted to then you could try to think about what the best algorithm would be; but then imo you might as well implement it to make sure it works the way you want it to.
$endgroup$
– Will R
Dec 18 '18 at 22:16
$begingroup$
So similarly I studied math and now I am doing something that does not at all use my studies, though I did get the PhD. I use this site. It seems that when school is out, good problems are few and far between, but during the fall and spring semesters there's lots to do. I also still do my research as a hobby, with no plans of publishing unless I hit the jackpot.
$endgroup$
– Matt Samuel
Dec 19 '18 at 2:38
$begingroup$
Fixed that spelling blip. Thanks timtfj.
$endgroup$
– user3050028
Dec 20 '18 at 19:45
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
What skills are you concerned about sharpening?
$endgroup$
– Don Thousand
Dec 18 '18 at 21:13
4
$begingroup$
I think Marvin is actually called Martin! (I can't make a 1-character edit to correct it, but as the post author you can.)
$endgroup$
– timtfj
Dec 18 '18 at 21:32
1
$begingroup$
I do not make a habit of Project Euler problems, but I would not recommend trying to really answer them without a computer. The problems are designed with programming in mind; they are meant to be such that even getting a computer to do it requires ingenuity. So they are presumably designed to require huge computations; definitely not a 15-30 minute thing! That said, if you wanted to then you could try to think about what the best algorithm would be; but then imo you might as well implement it to make sure it works the way you want it to.
$endgroup$
– Will R
Dec 18 '18 at 22:16
$begingroup$
So similarly I studied math and now I am doing something that does not at all use my studies, though I did get the PhD. I use this site. It seems that when school is out, good problems are few and far between, but during the fall and spring semesters there's lots to do. I also still do my research as a hobby, with no plans of publishing unless I hit the jackpot.
$endgroup$
– Matt Samuel
Dec 19 '18 at 2:38
$begingroup$
Fixed that spelling blip. Thanks timtfj.
$endgroup$
– user3050028
Dec 20 '18 at 19:45
1
1
$begingroup$
What skills are you concerned about sharpening?
$endgroup$
– Don Thousand
Dec 18 '18 at 21:13
$begingroup$
What skills are you concerned about sharpening?
$endgroup$
– Don Thousand
Dec 18 '18 at 21:13
4
4
$begingroup$
I think Marvin is actually called Martin! (I can't make a 1-character edit to correct it, but as the post author you can.)
$endgroup$
– timtfj
Dec 18 '18 at 21:32
$begingroup$
I think Marvin is actually called Martin! (I can't make a 1-character edit to correct it, but as the post author you can.)
$endgroup$
– timtfj
Dec 18 '18 at 21:32
1
1
$begingroup$
I do not make a habit of Project Euler problems, but I would not recommend trying to really answer them without a computer. The problems are designed with programming in mind; they are meant to be such that even getting a computer to do it requires ingenuity. So they are presumably designed to require huge computations; definitely not a 15-30 minute thing! That said, if you wanted to then you could try to think about what the best algorithm would be; but then imo you might as well implement it to make sure it works the way you want it to.
$endgroup$
– Will R
Dec 18 '18 at 22:16
$begingroup$
I do not make a habit of Project Euler problems, but I would not recommend trying to really answer them without a computer. The problems are designed with programming in mind; they are meant to be such that even getting a computer to do it requires ingenuity. So they are presumably designed to require huge computations; definitely not a 15-30 minute thing! That said, if you wanted to then you could try to think about what the best algorithm would be; but then imo you might as well implement it to make sure it works the way you want it to.
$endgroup$
– Will R
Dec 18 '18 at 22:16
$begingroup$
So similarly I studied math and now I am doing something that does not at all use my studies, though I did get the PhD. I use this site. It seems that when school is out, good problems are few and far between, but during the fall and spring semesters there's lots to do. I also still do my research as a hobby, with no plans of publishing unless I hit the jackpot.
$endgroup$
– Matt Samuel
Dec 19 '18 at 2:38
$begingroup$
So similarly I studied math and now I am doing something that does not at all use my studies, though I did get the PhD. I use this site. It seems that when school is out, good problems are few and far between, but during the fall and spring semesters there's lots to do. I also still do my research as a hobby, with no plans of publishing unless I hit the jackpot.
$endgroup$
– Matt Samuel
Dec 19 '18 at 2:38
$begingroup$
Fixed that spelling blip. Thanks timtfj.
$endgroup$
– user3050028
Dec 20 '18 at 19:45
$begingroup$
Fixed that spelling blip. Thanks timtfj.
$endgroup$
– user3050028
Dec 20 '18 at 19:45
add a comment |
1 Answer
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I find that training problems for mathematical competitions are a good exercise to keep your mind sharp. For example there are
Training problems for the Putnam competition
Questions from the ITYM
A list of problems considered to be standard by Arnol'd:
Arnold's Trivium
An exercise-rich textbook is Atiyah's & McDonalds Commutative Algebra. Depending on your background their exercises might be challenging or the daily 10-15min exercise for you.
P.S.: I have been actively collecting problems involving a "trick" for a couple of years and am sure others have done so as well. Maybe you will find some of these by a google search?
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
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$begingroup$
I find that training problems for mathematical competitions are a good exercise to keep your mind sharp. For example there are
Training problems for the Putnam competition
Questions from the ITYM
A list of problems considered to be standard by Arnol'd:
Arnold's Trivium
An exercise-rich textbook is Atiyah's & McDonalds Commutative Algebra. Depending on your background their exercises might be challenging or the daily 10-15min exercise for you.
P.S.: I have been actively collecting problems involving a "trick" for a couple of years and am sure others have done so as well. Maybe you will find some of these by a google search?
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
Card_TrickCard_Trick
935
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I find that training problems for mathematical competitions are a good exercise to keep your mind sharp. For example there are
Training problems for the Putnam competition
Questions from the ITYM
A list of problems considered to be standard by Arnol'd:
Arnold's Trivium
An exercise-rich textbook is Atiyah's & McDonalds Commutative Algebra. Depending on your background their exercises might be challenging or the daily 10-15min exercise for you.
P.S.: I have been actively collecting problems involving a "trick" for a couple of years and am sure others have done so as well. Maybe you will find some of these by a google search?
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
Card_TrickCard_Trick
935
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I find that training problems for mathematical competitions are a good exercise to keep your mind sharp. For example there are
Training problems for the Putnam competition
Questions from the ITYM
A list of problems considered to be standard by Arnol'd:
Arnold's Trivium
An exercise-rich textbook is Atiyah's & McDonalds Commutative Algebra. Depending on your background their exercises might be challenging or the daily 10-15min exercise for you.
P.S.: I have been actively collecting problems involving a "trick" for a couple of years and am sure others have done so as well. Maybe you will find some of these by a google search?
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
Card_TrickCard_Trick
935
$endgroup$
I find that training problems for mathematical competitions are a good exercise to keep your mind sharp. For example there are
Training problems for the Putnam competition
Questions from the ITYM
A list of problems considered to be standard by Arnol'd:
Arnold's Trivium
An exercise-rich textbook is Atiyah's & McDonalds Commutative Algebra. Depending on your background their exercises might be challenging or the daily 10-15min exercise for you.
P.S.: I have been actively collecting problems involving a "trick" for a couple of years and am sure others have done so as well. Maybe you will find some of these by a google search?
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
Card_TrickCard_Trick
935
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
Card_TrickCard_Trick
935
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
Card_TrickCard_Trick
935
answered Dec 18 '18 at 21:17
Card_TrickCard_Trick
935
935
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
What skills are you concerned about sharpening?
$endgroup$
– Don Thousand
Dec 18 '18 at 21:13
4
$begingroup$
I think Marvin is actually called Martin! (I can't make a 1-character edit to correct it, but as the post author you can.)
$endgroup$
– timtfj
Dec 18 '18 at 21:32
1
$begingroup$
I do not make a habit of Project Euler problems, but I would not recommend trying to really answer them without a computer. The problems are designed with programming in mind; they are meant to be such that even getting a computer to do it requires ingenuity. So they are presumably designed to require huge computations; definitely not a 15-30 minute thing! That said, if you wanted to then you could try to think about what the best algorithm would be; but then imo you might as well implement it to make sure it works the way you want it to.
$endgroup$
– Will R
Dec 18 '18 at 22:16
$begingroup$
So similarly I studied math and now I am doing something that does not at all use my studies, though I did get the PhD. I use this site. It seems that when school is out, good problems are few and far between, but during the fall and spring semesters there's lots to do. I also still do my research as a hobby, with no plans of publishing unless I hit the jackpot.
$endgroup$
– Matt Samuel
Dec 19 '18 at 2:38
$begingroup$
Fixed that spelling blip. Thanks timtfj.
$endgroup$
– user3050028
Dec 20 '18 at 19:45