I really wonder what percentage of difficulties that stem from math are due to its representation in the symbolic language used. By that I mean, so often, I am staring at a long, condensed equation. Factored to perfection by whomever was working on developing it. I stare at it for hours and just can't figure out what's going on.
Then after much tinkering with the parameters, exploring the limits, plotting graphs, slowly I look at it and recognize what is going on and realise "gosh that is actually really F**ing simple"
I wonder how much of "learning" math is really spent on decoding the representations we are provided, rather than understanding the concept they're meant to represent.
Then after much tinkering with the parameters, exploring the limits, plotting graphs, slowly I look at it and recognize what is going on and realise "gosh that is actually really F**ing simple"
I wonder how much of "learning" math is really spent on decoding the representations we are provided, rather than understanding the concept they're meant to represent.