Looking for a quote about problem solving
February 15, 2022 5:50 PM Subscribe
I have a memory of a quote that I think was attributed to Dirac that goes something like this: "To solve a problem, divide it into two parts: a simple part and a small part. If you're clever, you'll be able to solve the simple part. And if you're lucky, the small part will turn out to be really small." Help me track it down?
It might have been Feynman telling a story about Dirac, or I might be wrong about Dirac altogether. Thank you!!
It might have been Feynman telling a story about Dirac, or I might be wrong about Dirac altogether. Thank you!!
I didn't find exactly what you're looking for, but I found two perfectly good quotes from Feynman lectures on dividing things up:
posted by the antecedent of that pronoun at 6:19 PM on February 15, 2022 [8 favorites]
Also Feynman:
Meanwhile,
That sounds VERY MUCH like something that might have been said about strategies for finding integrals. It almost rings a bell for me.
I’m not having any luck on Google, but if that rings a bell for you too maybe it can help guide your searches.
posted by mekily at 9:57 PM on February 15, 2022
I’m not having any luck on Google, but if that rings a bell for you too maybe it can help guide your searches.
posted by mekily at 9:57 PM on February 15, 2022
I think it may possibly be an intuitive explanation of integration by parts or a related technique.
posted by mekily at 10:09 PM on February 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mekily at 10:09 PM on February 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
This sounds like it's about approximations in physics to me. Here's an equation made up of two parts, find the part you can solve and figure out some conditions where the part you can't solve "goes to zero." (Is very small relative to the rest )
posted by Lady Li at 6:13 AM on February 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Lady Li at 6:13 AM on February 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
If there's a pithy saying on the sciences, it's probably Feynman :) But I'll add my $0.02 for George Polya, whose "How to Solve It" and other writings are pervaded with the same spirit as your quote describes.
posted by adekllny at 6:23 AM on February 16, 2022
posted by adekllny at 6:23 AM on February 16, 2022
« Older Can't access BIOS on a Toshiba Portege - why? | i need the best late night deli sandwich near... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.