Practice Makes Perfect
February 14, 2008 9:51 AM Subscribe
Help me build a database of math problems to keep my skills sharp.
I'm a mathematics major, and I'd like to avoid forgetting everything I've learned in my various math courses. I'd like to build a database of math problems to solve so I can get one a one-problem-a-day program to stay sharp. Implementing the system will be easy enough; I'll have the random problem of the day be my start page in firefox, which won't be hard. The problem is that I have no idea where to get a large number of problems to solve, and I have no interest in going through my textbooks and typing problems in manually.
Does anyone know where I can find this kind of thing online (preferably for free)? I'm thinking various calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, probability, and statistics problems. Obviously having a large number of problems is a crucial part of this, since doing the same problems over and over every few weeks will only help my memorization skills and not my problem-solving abilities. Problems in text format would be ideal, but images are fine too.
I'm a mathematics major, and I'd like to avoid forgetting everything I've learned in my various math courses. I'd like to build a database of math problems to solve so I can get one a one-problem-a-day program to stay sharp. Implementing the system will be easy enough; I'll have the random problem of the day be my start page in firefox, which won't be hard. The problem is that I have no idea where to get a large number of problems to solve, and I have no interest in going through my textbooks and typing problems in manually.
Does anyone know where I can find this kind of thing online (preferably for free)? I'm thinking various calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, probability, and statistics problems. Obviously having a large number of problems is a crucial part of this, since doing the same problems over and over every few weeks will only help my memorization skills and not my problem-solving abilities. Problems in text format would be ideal, but images are fine too.
More of a computing spin but Project Euler has a large selection of problems of varying difficulty. The idea is to solve them with a short, one-minute computer program but many can be solved with pen and paper. See also the Python Challenge and 99 Prolog Problems but I suspect those are further afield.
posted by Skorgu at 10:09 AM on February 14, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Skorgu at 10:09 AM on February 14, 2008 [1 favorite]
What's wrong with working through an old textbook? You can also find books that are devoted to problems in a given field.
I would like to post a link to a website that has scans of math & science books for download, would this be against the rules (I am completely new here)?
posted by fingo at 10:22 AM on February 14, 2008
I would like to post a link to a website that has scans of math & science books for download, would this be against the rules (I am completely new here)?
posted by fingo at 10:22 AM on February 14, 2008
I do a similar thing with physics problems. I source problems from various books, solve them, and type them up in latex. I keep this all in one file, so I can reference it whenever needed. It can be helpful at times to go back and see your own interpretation of how to solve a problem.
posted by casaubon at 10:31 AM on February 14, 2008
posted by casaubon at 10:31 AM on February 14, 2008
Response by poster: What's wrong with working through an old textbook?
The problem with that is that I would never do it. On top of the work I already have to do for my current classes, the last thing I'll think to do is grab an older book off the shelf and find a problem to do. However, if I have one problem every day sitting there when I open my browser, I'm much more likely to do the problem, since it's already staring me in the face.
posted by kjackelen05 at 1:29 PM on February 14, 2008
The problem with that is that I would never do it. On top of the work I already have to do for my current classes, the last thing I'll think to do is grab an older book off the shelf and find a problem to do. However, if I have one problem every day sitting there when I open my browser, I'm much more likely to do the problem, since it's already staring me in the face.
posted by kjackelen05 at 1:29 PM on February 14, 2008
Many schools nowadays are having students do calculus and differential eqns homework on the web. If you email the administrator of one of those programs, he might give you an account, for personal use. This would give you access to a virtually limitless reservoir- but the problems might not be sufficiently challenging. In that case, ask around for past qualifying exams. I imagine most schools would show them to you if you ask nicely. Great idea btw!
posted by proj08 at 5:02 PM on February 14, 2008
posted by proj08 at 5:02 PM on February 14, 2008
There are lots of mathematics competitions at the high school and collegiate level, many with online archives of questions.
Havard's Putnam exam page even has a problem of the day...
posted by rux at 6:19 PM on February 14, 2008
Havard's Putnam exam page even has a problem of the day...
posted by rux at 6:19 PM on February 14, 2008
Many schools nowadays are having students do calculus and differential eqns homework on the web.
There are also “homework help” web sites that discuss problems, independent of particular schools, like Physics Forums (which also has a math section.)
posted by XMLicious at 1:34 AM on February 15, 2008
There are also “homework help” web sites that discuss problems, independent of particular schools, like Physics Forums (which also has a math section.)
posted by XMLicious at 1:34 AM on February 15, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 10:01 AM on February 14, 2008