/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.10749580]

So I only have highschool level math and Im self taught in Calculus and Some Proofs/Tiny bit of abstract math. I want to be able to talk to a professor or mathematician at my local university but how do I go about contacting the person especially since I'm not even enrolled at the university but I want to go there eventually. I would just want to discuss mathematical maturity and math stuff in general.

[Anonymous No.10749595]

Sit in and listen to some of their lectures, and make a friendly introduction to yourself after class?

[Anonymous No.10749609]

>>10749580
Office hours (they might not be there in the summer)
Email them

[Anonymous No.10749691]

>>10749595
Can I do this at public unis?

[Anonymous No.10749773]

>>10749580
I've always been curious about the details of these sorts of interactions. What are some specific questions you envision asking them?

[Anonymous No.10749837]

>>10749691
I don't see why not. I attended public university in the US and people sat in with their friends in classes they weren't taking all the time, and it was never verified that they were students.

The professor can always kick you out, of course, but I never encountered this. Just don't expect to be able to take exams or have homework graded, of course.

Unfortunately, as a non-student, you might not be able to unofficially audit in a way that grants you access to "student portal" websites, which, more and more, are being used to distribute things like homework and handouts. If there is important course material that isn't making it to the public web, you could ask the professor to email it to you (although this might be too much trouble), or even better, make a friend in the class and have them show you the course material.

[Anonymous No.10749897]

>>10749691
>>10749837

Most professors have trouble keeping their own students to come to lectures and are loved by very few people. If you sit in on a lecture as a high schooler then you'll surely make the professor very happy

[Anonymous No.10750314]

>>10749580
I'm a graduate student at a public University. As far as I'm aware, the policy in my state is that all lectures are open to the public, assuming there are seats left over after students enroll. If there are no seats left, you have to leave. The policy is also that if you are not an enrolled student, you cannot get credit for the class. Given there is room, you are allowed to watch and take notes.

[Anonymous No.10750321]

>>10749897
>loved by very few people
I don't know what gives you this idea. I work in academia, most people have a loving family at home. If you mean loved by their students, of course few students will care. The professor is at work, not a day care. Normally, professors respond positively to engaged students because it makes work easier and more enjoyable.

[Anonymous No.10750349]

>>10749773
I have always been chungus

[Anonymous No.10750513]

>>10749773
OP here, I would ask about a subject I'm interested in which is abstract algebra and universal algebra. I would talk about algebraic structures and there properties. Then maybe discuss other areas of math. What math involves both analytical and algebraic techniques? How can I develop mathematical maturity and stray away from computation orientated this thinking? What does it really mean to think abstractly? What are spaces, metrics etc. So e trivial stuff and some subject stuff. Perhaps a problem I'm interested in. I would just shoot the shit basically.

[Anonymous No.10750514]

>>10750513
>how do i stay away from computation oriented thinking
based, wish you the best of luck anon you are too good for this world

[Anonymous No.10750534]

>>10750514
what do you mean? Like idk in a proof when someone is manipulating an equation is this not computation? Like someone define computation for me, is this the same as plug and chug? (,'*_*)

[Anonymous No.10750538]

>>10750513
anon, you sound a bit like you might be pic-related graph theorist?

[Anonymous No.10750552]

>>10750538
Haha kek my sides how so?

[Anonymous No.10750557]

>>10749580
1. Go to math dept building
2. Turn on Grindr

[Anonymous No.10750560]

>>10750552
Dunno, just sounds based to want to chat with professor about math for its own sake.

If you're lucky you could find a professor who doesn't feel too cucked by his research, and is overflowing with insights he'd like to share with eager undergrads to the point of being blue-balled. I've met someone like this, and it was always odd to see him struggle between the desire to stop wasting time with me, and his uncontrollable urge to show me more of his goods. Actually it's fairly easy to prepare bait for professors like this, haha.

[Anonymous No.10750572]

>>10750560
What's the reference to a graph theorists? and idk wouldn't anyone do this if they had the desire to want to learn pure math?

[Anonymous No.10750676]

>>10750572
>idk wouldn't anyone do this if they had the desire to want to learn pure math?
Yeah. Especially if they are genius enough to solve
>What's the reference to a graph theorists?
undergraduate-level >>10750538 (pic related) graph theory problems.

[Anonymous No.10750685]

>>10749580
>19There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day. 20And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores, 21Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. And no one did give him: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. 23And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom: 24And he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame. 25And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. 26And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot, nor from thence come hither. 27And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, 28That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments. 29And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. 30But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance. 31And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead

[Anonymous No.10750694]

>>10750685
No, please man this is bad.

[Anonymous No.10750697]

>>10750676
Genius enough to solve what? Also I know what graph theory is and there graphs but I don't see how this is related to my comment

[Anonymous No.10750709]

>>10750697
Your comment >>10750513 made me think of Will in Good Will Hunting, where, in his forays at MIT as a janitor/non-student, in >>10750538 pic related, he proves his genius by solving a "hard" (not really) graph theory problem.

(Actually, you only need a basic understanding of linear algebra and graph theory, but whatever.)

[Anonymous No.10750740]

>>10750534
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computability

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_computation

subhuman shit like the above

[Anonymous No.10750812]

>>10750740
Well yes but isn't solving for x considered computation? Like when you prove
[eqn]\displaystyle{\sum_{n=0}^{k}n=\frac{k(k+1)}{2}}[/eqn] you are doing this using induction but you are eventually foiling and shit to prove this result near the end any if I remember correctly. Like when I first saw this done I was like isn't that computing to with just some concluding statements to follow along with it?