How to Learn Math | Po-Shen Loh and Lex Fridman

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GUEST BIO:
Po-Shen Loh is a mathematician at CMU and coach of the USA International Math Olympiad team.

PODCAST INFO:

SOCIAL:

[David_Lee]

I am a full-time high school math teacher and a Pure Mathematics graduate student ( I graduate next week and I would have to say that persistence is the #1 key to succeeding in math. I am not even close to being some kind of math genius but I’m too stubborn to quit and persistence and curiosity have gotten me to where I am today. I love creating challenging problems and helping students to understand challenging problems of all levels. Persistence is the key. Never give up. Sometimes I spend hours trying to figure out a single problem that my Professor gives me for homework. Knowledge is gained through the struggle. 📚👍

[curvlinear]

Oh My God!!! I went to elementary, middle and high school with Poh Shen. He was always fantastic at math. Frequently he would be mentioned in the morning announcements for winning math competitions. Also a really humble considerate person. So cool to see him getting this recognition.

[ReflectionOcean]

- Consider tackling math competition problems to improve skills (start: 0:18).

- Use Math Counts, Math League, or AMC for practice problems (start: 1:00).

- Engage with daily math challenges that offer hints and explanations (start: 2:04).

- Aim to exceed past capabilities regularly for lifelong learning (start: 4:04).

- Incorporate daily thinking exercises on various topics to build mental discipline (start: 4:44).

- Teach math concepts to others, such as children, to enhance your own understanding (start: 6:27).

[dannyffd]

Been doing the daily challenges with Po. Absolutely wonderful. So much fun. Challenging. And I’m growing in my problem solving ability.

[InternetSado]

I like this guy's energy as an educator

[slothymango]

"Give people the chance on their own to think without that kid in the front answering each question in 2 seconds"

BOOM, this guy gets it

[prachethire]

8:16- "Math gives you a perspective on the world that enriches everything else" - Lex Fridman.

[IntelligenceSquare]

There, he not only teaches us how to learn but also how to teach. That is splendid.

[BrianAmedee]

Interesting conversation, and I love the pure enthusiasm of Po-Shen Loh. I think (as a high school math teacher), students need to:
a) Have the basics explained and individually corrected (if they make small mistakes) in a timely manner.
b) Collaborate/explain and actively practise new problems (that is - spend time in class working together, not listening to a teacher work through problems on the board).

This is hard, because you only have ~2hours a week with students, and most of it is spent explaining new concepts to students. This is why I have adopted manim, 10 minute explanations take 1 minute.

[SaurabhSingh-miin]

Thanks! Gonna check out all of the three he mentioned.

[kileerr]

Did not expect ANKI to get a shout out here!

[kaybei]

Lex and Po-Shen Loh; Can you recommend any textbooks or mathematics books you would say show this process of invention of mathematical methods, ideas, tools and conjectures... I have heard of Polya's books but I did feel the problems were too elementary and was wondering if there was such a book which shows how a whole field can be born out of an idea and where that idea comes from. Where would a mathematician start and what inspired this idea? How do they go about exploring this idea? Do they do a bunch of easy little problems first? Do they draw pictures? Simple examples? I often see in polished textbooks the final result but we dont get to see the messy work that is involved to get there in the first place. I want to see what are the steps a mathematician takes when exploring a new idea or solving a new problem. At which point do they make conjectures. At which point do they prove them. How far into this field will they go until they decide they need a proof? What do they do?

[Brandd]

I did mathcounts in middle school and learned much more than I did in school

[sybr]

Use imagery to see an equation like E=mc^2

Energy = mass times the velocity of light squared.

Energy = a square sheet of light (2d) that becomes a box of depth mass (3d).

So everything in that box is the pure energy potential of that mass.

A 150 lbs person = 1.7 trillion kilowatt of pure energy potential.
That person's mass has enough energy potential to power a typical house for 200 million years.

[LeNoLi.]

i placed first in my region and was headed to math counts state competition but then my grandmother died.

[novelspace]

Anki love! started using anki a couple months ago best decision I’ve made.

[benoto]

3:13 this is the biggest problem with education to this day. Especial With young children. You always have someone blurt out the answer lol. This is why I believe parents need to supplement their kids education no matter what.

[inywtyt]

I was amazed at how people could love this or that. To be specific for me it was maths and science that was so exotic to me that it was not about curiosity but confusion. Now I look back at it and it's not the same. It could be anything. Any career that's worth thinking about how that person could get into that field. Later I found out that when you are willing to find out for yourself and bring within yourself questions to curious problems and ideas you would find that it interests you and helps you become yourself and are engaged in that work it's apparent that you would get it. How it works and what to do with it and go on with it. As kids we were forced to attend classes we didn't like or weren't curious about or the teaching methods were wrong and you didn't get a chance to learn on your own. There sure comes a time when you think k12 doesn't work for me so I better understand and make sense of what I'm learning or just wasting my time. You would know from there that self education is the most important thing to find out if it's worth it and in the end most of the basics are worth it. It's just you have to struggle and not avoid the challenges that the school system puts out for you.

[metaldr]

1+1=3 made the friendship. TY for the stream KG

[breakdancerQ]

Lol awesome I didn't know this was an AI guy. I got into AI to couple years ago, trying catch up with my math too for a while now. I'm getting there but it takes a real constant consistent effort. Really like it tho