Mathematics at MIT

Video: Melanie Gonick, MIT News

Artist/Composer: Arizono Kazuhiro

[jaxim]

mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations or algorithms, it is about understanding
-William Paul Thurston

[Thecommet]

"The ability to appreciate meth lies in everybody"

[ishan]

“Professors do math, students do meth”

— someone very high

[giovannip]

I love maths it's just that it doesn't love me back :( lol

[maxe]

I recall as a freshman our analysis prof said something like: "Many people believe math is hard... that's because it is." I thought that was more honest than the usual attempt to lull people with this fake soft crap. Ironically that guys lectures were some of the easiest to follow and most helpful I've ever attended...

[xtheslipknotmaggotx]

Being good at math doesn´t mean you understand it. I am good at math and I uderstand what I work with, how does it works and why it happens, but I don´t undertand where it comes from. For example, I understand the Laplace Transform and the Nabla Operator but I simply can´t undertand what a genius it takes to develop these concepts from scratch, or how did euler come to e=2.71, or how did they come up with so much more abstract concepts.
Even though this, I still love and enjoy doing math.

[irun_mon]

I got C+ in calculus 1, can I apply in MIT?

[kanikahasija]

I think after completing my Master's in maths I knew one thing about myself, which I doubted my whole life, I am good at analysis. I scored around 95 percentile from real analysis upto functional analysis. Mathematics came easy to me and it shown me the world of data science.
For me maths is not calculation, I am pretty bad at those but its all about analysis and connecting dots.
Maths is not just queen of all subjects but it is god of knowledge provided to humans on this earth.

[kinnikuzero]

Math isn't hard on itself, it's just that most teachers suck at explaining it.

[lukarooka]

"Either you get it, or you don't get it." I say, "either you get it, or you don't get it yet."

[damian.gamlath]

What I loved about math in high school was there was only one right answer - biology, chemistry, physics asked questions on describing concepts and theories - and math didn't. I loved that.

[wkt]

Watching this made me feel even worse over my terrible mathematics abilities.

[Valorous-egg]

I've never liked math.. But as I'm graduating this year something just clicked and I'm getting really good at it and trying to understand it, even excited to study it sometimes. Especially imaginary/complex numbers (even though I don't study them and am not required to).
Basically what I'm trying to say is even if you don't really like this subject (or any subject really..) maybe try and look further. Try and find an aspect, a topic, a formula, an idea, a theory. Anything that you may find interesting and look into it then see how it links with other ideas and eventually you'll start to understand it better and start liking it.
Hope this helped anyone struggling with a particular subject

[prestintran]

Before junior year, I saw math strictly as numbers. I’d wire my brain to only understand it as numbers. By the time I got to junior year, I took ap Calc AB. For the first time I saw math as using common sense instead of just applying numbers. I saw that math took more reasoning than it did memorizing skill.

[touzoutmohamedamine]

Thanks MIT from the deepest of my heart for your open course ware, that's something that shows that human from all nations in this globe need knowledge and have the right to get it. thank you very much 

[muzkat]

Yes, mathematics is universal and it can make for a better world. Sadly, politics, money, and special agendas always seem to get into the way of great ideas, and the optimistic child-like mind of unbounded imagination and dreams eventually stumbles upon reality. Side note: I miss Walter Lewin's lectures; he was a great physics professor at MIT.

[cly]

1:16 the limit definition of the derivative is written incorrectly...

[raviarshiya]

it's frustrating to feel like humanity has achieved so much but somehow, it feels like we're not even close to finding what we're looking for

[lattice]

"You either get it, or you don't." This is such a dangerous idea. What I have loved about math is that it rewards practice and creativity with understanding. Suggesting that any level of understanding or misunderstanding reflects your actual mathematical potential is exactly the discouraging attitude that keeps many people from sticking with it and really diving into the gaps of what they've learned

[rodtemplado]

Gonna cook some math, I need a mathlab. Guss, you there brah?