I've got these 2 math problems that are driving me crazy. Business optimization. Please help. [more inside]
posted by nomnomnom on Nov 22, 2009 - 16 answers

I am looking for a math typesetting style guide. By this I don't mean the kind of stylesheet for journal submissions that says "Be sure to use the blah-blah-blah LaTeX package and the XYZ equation environment, and our army of editorial assistants will tie up the loose ends and knock off the rough edges." (Why not? Because my advisor is involved in starting a new journal, and suddenly my labmates and I are that army of editorial assistants.) [more inside]
posted by nebulawindphone on Nov 4, 2009 - 11 answers

Is there an enumeration of complete chess games? [more inside]
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Oct 30, 2009 - 10 answers

I've never seen this mathematical symbol used this way before. Can anyone tell me what it means? [more inside]
posted by mazniak on Oct 25, 2009 - 8 answers

MathFilter, NumericSimplificationFilter, RecursionFilter, ExcelFilter: Where X_1,X_2,...,X_n can be any number, is there a name, simplified series, or equation to describe: (X_1)+(X_1+X_2)+(X_1+X_2+X_3)+...+(X_1+X_2+...+X_n) ? Seriously seriously insane exel implementation question inside. [more inside]
posted by Nanukthedog on Aug 28, 2009 - 16 answers

I have been attending graduate school in mathematics for the last 3 years, in hopes of getting a Ph.D. It hasn't exactly worked out - I'm taking my Master's and getting out of here. What can I do now? [more inside]
posted by Earl the Polliwog on Aug 9, 2009 - 13 answers

When did "Maths" change to "Math" in American English? Or is it the other way around? [more inside]
posted by fishmasta on Jul 11, 2009 - 39 answers

As a former scientist, help me gain some faith in economics. What were the great successes of economics as a tool for making better decisions in the last 100 years? [more inside]
posted by zaebiz on Jun 23, 2009 - 20 answers

I want to calculate the mean of a matrix, but I don't want a value, I want co-ordinates. The following math question has lots of terminology that I'm not qualified to use i.e. most of it is wrong. I hope you can see through this and help me. I will be using the words matrix, mean and transformation without fully understanding them. For this I apologize. [more inside]
posted by handybitesize on Jun 8, 2009 - 6 answers

I need a free and robust math worksheet generator, and don't care whether or not it's a script, web-based, or software. [more inside]
posted by booksherpa on Apr 28, 2009 - 3 answers

I have always been horrible at math, but somehow a great programmer. I have found that writing a computer program that demonstrates a certain mathematical concept enables me to better understand the concept. I'm a psych major and I brought this up once in the research lab I've been working in. My prof said he recalls that someone did research and/or created a system in which a student writes a computer program that is pertinent to a certain mathematical concept and upon completion is given the regular math problem (as it would appear in a math class). This enables the student to better understand the math problem, solve, and learn math. Has anyone heard of this or anything similar? A learning system such as this would be a blessing to my education. Thanks.
posted by fightoplankton on Apr 13, 2009 - 15 answers

Do you know good sources for historical mathematics images, specifically the Bridges of Königsberg by Leonhard Euler? [more inside]
posted by tnygard on Apr 7, 2009 - 4 answers

Does anyone have software recommendations for making Venn diagrams? Especially complicated ones? [more inside]
posted by tnygard on Mar 10, 2009 - 9 answers

Did Pythagoras exist? [more inside]
posted by painquale on Feb 14, 2009 - 11 answers

Best books, websites, lecture series on game theory and its applications for smart people who understand mathematics but can't stand trawling through pages of unnecessary complex formulae?
posted by vizsla on Jan 26, 2009 - 8 answers

Can someone explain why despite the fact that every one of these incidents occurs at a unique time and place, each involves a complex history of events and personal decisions leading to its very unlikely outcome, that the death toll on the roads year-on-year is so predictable? See here and here. [more inside]
posted by zaebiz on Dec 28, 2008 - 47 answers

I've got math anxiety but not the traditional kind. I'm graduating with a math degree but I feel very insecure pursuing higher math. How did something this beautiful turn into a bugbear? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 - 20 answers

Can anyone suggest good places to visit in Greece (or nearby) that are relevent to mathematics? Much more detail inside. [more inside]
posted by junipero on Nov 25, 2008 - 3 answers

Maximizing a function over orthogonal matrices, or: solving polynomial order 2 systems. Help me out or point me to a better forum / listhost. [more inside]
posted by a robot made out of meat on Oct 26, 2008 - 15 answers

Please suggest a learning plan for learning upper level math? [more inside]
posted by prunes on Sep 16, 2008 - 9 answers

I've just started dating someone who studies serious hardcore applied math. I am a complete and utter math idiot who is lost at anything above multiplication tables. I would like to sort of understand what is going on inside his massive, beautiful brain. Help? [more inside]
posted by logovisual on Sep 11, 2008 - 33 answers

Does the fact that the betting markets still give Hillary Clinton a 1 in 55 chance of being President in 2008, mean that that is a reasonable estimate of the chance that Obama is assassinated before the election? What else could justify those odds now?
posted by zaebiz on Sep 1, 2008 - 14 answers

Here's the deal: I've exhausted my neurons looking for some kind of answer to a mathematical symbol stumper. I'd love to know who invented, originated, or was the first individual to use the double-tilde (≈) as a means of expressing/denoting "approximately equal" in mathematics. I know that Robert-Recorde is supposed to have introduced the "equals" sign (=) in 1557. Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated. I await enlightenment.
posted by font_snob on Aug 28, 2008 - 5 answers

How long should it reasonably take before 2 "Last Men on Earth" meet? [more inside]
posted by mr_book on Aug 23, 2008 - 24 answers

Applied Math Filter: Help me use math! I'd like to learn more about mathematics and it's practical applications - particularly in Computer Science [more inside]
posted by dcbarker on Aug 1, 2008 - 13 answers

What natural proficiencies would I need / want to have in order to get a degree in computer science? I have some issues with math, and am not sure whether that's a dealbreaker. [more inside]
posted by FortyT-wo on Jul 26, 2008 - 32 answers

Anyone ever worked as an editor/proofreader for science and mathematics articles not written by native English speakers? [more inside]
posted by number9dream on Jul 20, 2008 - 8 answers

There's a smart freshman who's going to be in my school's Academic Decathlon team next year. However, Academic Decathlon tests over all of high school math, so I ask: How can I teach a fast learner an overview of high school math in around 7 months? [more inside]
posted by LSK on Apr 3, 2008 - 6 answers

How do I generate a bingo game with a predetermined number of winners? I'll have control over the cards printed and over the list of numbers to be called out. (Specifically, 15 winners out of 15,000 cards.)
posted by Tlogmer on Mar 24, 2008 - 10 answers

Statistics-filter: I need to establish to what extent student performance on a particular standardized test is predicted by each of the following: GPA, standardized test scores and a couple of other miscellaneous numerical factors. How do I go about this? [more inside]
posted by perissodactyl on Mar 6, 2008 - 11 answers

My cousin's four year old son is obsessed with things like quarks and infinity. He insists to his mother that infinity is the last number. She isn't so sure, and wants to know more about things like strangeness. I don't want to determine this kid's future, but it seems fun to feed his curiosity. And since my wife's babysitter was Murray Gell-Mann, the responsibility has fallen partially on my shoulders to help answer his questions. What kinds of information can you recommend that I give to his mother so that she, an attorney and not a mathematician, and her son can learn more about this information. In particular, what kinds of books, games, and projects would introduce him to other neat ideas in mathematics and physics?
posted by billtron on Feb 16, 2008 - 27 answers

Teaching a university course for the first time: any tips or suggestions? [more inside]
posted by onoclea on Dec 12, 2007 - 33 answers

How do I make the transition, in my brain, to studying graduate/advanced mathematics? [more inside]
posted by milestogo on Oct 22, 2007 - 20 answers

Why is it that when I solve the inequality 0 ≤ arccos(x) <> cos(π/4)? Why do the operators switch direction? [more inside]
posted by PuGZ on Oct 19, 2007 - 11 answers

is there a book on the mathematics of chess? [more inside]
posted by randomizer on Oct 18, 2007 - 6 answers

If a man’s wit be wandering, let him post a question about mathematics and reasoning to MetaFilter. [more inside]
posted by jason's_planet on Sep 25, 2007 - 20 answers

Maximal volume of an ellipsoid... [more inside]
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Aug 7, 2007 - 15 answers

Starting this fall, I plan on taking some preparatory undergrad coursework with the intention of eventually applying to a master's program in applied mathematics. I am seeking suggestions for reading material concerning the field of mathematics in general, both as a refresher and as insight into current focus areas and work being done. As a working engineer, my situation and background might be a bit different from most considering this route... [more inside]
posted by Bugg on Jul 15, 2007 - 2 answers

Ask Mathfilter: I want some good math sites to read. A math-cetric Metafilter or Cosma's notebooks. [more inside]
posted by tylermoody on Jul 2, 2007 - 11 answers

StatisticsFilter: Can someone explain - with examples - why R^2 (r-square) values are not appropriate for use with non-linear regression models. [more inside]
posted by jonesor on Jun 21, 2007 - 5 answers

I've charged with adding a feature to a shift scheduler / coverage requestor that displays shift information for a given week. I've been able to display them so as to satisfy the constraints I've been given, but it's got me wondering wondering if there's a more rigorous/mathematical approach to the general problem of organizing the display of any such calendar information. [more inside]
posted by Frankieist on Apr 12, 2007 - 3 answers

What e-learning systems provide students with the math-related symbols they need and lets them "show their work," while still letting them submit all answers online? [more inside]
posted by ejvalentine on Mar 14, 2007 - 8 answers

(Stereotype-flouting) Math Movie Suggestions Needed for a pi-day celebration. I'm looking for movies that don't portray mathematicians as schizophrenic or otherwise deranged. [more inside]
posted by ZeroDivides on Mar 7, 2007 - 30 answers

Mathematicians, I've always suspected there is a real opportunity to exploit the inefficiencies of the online sports betting markets and amateur bettors and make serious money. Have you felt the same way or am I kidding myself? [more inside]
posted by vizsla on Dec 17, 2006 - 7 answers

I remember reading an anecdote about Feynman, written by Feynman either in Surely, You're Joking or What Do You Care What Other People Think. He was describing how in his undergraduate years people were really impressed by his ability to do integrals, all because he knew this integration technique that wasn't taught very often. What was that technique?
posted by phrontist on Dec 4, 2006 - 10 answers

Science and math educators, K-12 and college! What are your favourite science and math sites that you use for planning lessons and curricula, or for classroom use? And why? Thanks! [more inside]
posted by carter on Nov 16, 2006 - 3 answers

I would like to relearn some calculus on my own. Please recommend the best book for the purpose. [more inside]
posted by perissodactyl on Sep 10, 2006 - 16 answers

Can you help me with my innumeracy? [more inside]
posted by horseblind on Jul 23, 2006 - 16 answers

Stupid calculus question inside. [more inside]
posted by killdevil on Jul 19, 2006 - 15 answers

How do I process user ratings of content without skewing results of items that have only been rated once? [more inside]
posted by Orkboi on Jul 10, 2006 - 19 answers