count!
I always get teased about my rather uncommon career choices. I find the shock on their faces rather amusing and I find the stereotyping , fascinating and then they ask me how it all started and ten seconds later they tell me how I don’t look the type and a second later, they manage to add the “no no, I mean its really great, you must be really smart hey..;) but WHY?! “. I’ve heard these lines, a couple of hundred times in the past 3-4 years. I’m used to them but they’ve never failed to amuse me.
I study mathematics. Yes, straight maths, not combined with any other subjects, no minors, no joint degrees, just maths the way it is. I intend to pursue research in a closely math related field. I’m not smart, neither am I a nerd. I hardly study and I’m usually always ‘free’ to do something fun.[ I, however do believe that I have a couple of very eccentric habits. Ranging from my very nocturnal studying habits, (some of the greatest inspirational moments in my life had been at very random times of the night, in fact its actually 2:45am right now!) to talking to myself out loud at any given moment. I’m full of rather strange little characteristics.]
When I’m usually asked as to why I ended up with maths, I say that I was always good at it, I hated ‘studying and essay writing subjects’ towards the latter part of my school career, engineering sounded too regimented and I ended up choosing maths due to the flexibility of careers and the respect that the subject offered. But in a profound moment, I realise that, in retrospect, I cannot imagine doing anything else. I realise that I’m spending my life learning something completely artificial. Something unbelievably abstract. Something that I’ll never be able to touch and see. Something that tries to be perfect in an imperfect world. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother with a subject which started as a fragment of someone’s imagination.
But then I try to imagine what the world would be like without mathematics, what the world would be like, if we did not know how to count. I think about all the other subjects that maths had inspired; physics, chemistry, economics, computing, technology, accounting,countless fields of research… and realise how blessed and privileged I am, to be a part of this awe-inspiring field. I’m suddenly filled with great inspiration and joy knowing that very few things could be as innovative and imaginative as mathematics. I smile with sadistic pleasure. I don’t care what you say. Mathematicians are not socially inept creatures, who do not have a life, they are some of the most creative and persevering people that the world has ever produced.
This has got to be one’ve the most interesting and flattering posts that ‘Mathematics’ has seen
. Oh, just to clarify, maths did not “inspire” Economics, missy!….we just use and abuse it shed loads. It’s like our slave….so, get it straight!
Comment by Anush — July 17, 2006 @ 5:20 am
haha dude do u honestly think that there would be a subject called ‘economics’, if numbers did not exist. I’m sure you wont be able to do half your work, as an economist, if not for maths.
Admit it freak
you NEED your slaves!! :p
Comment by Savi — July 17, 2006 @ 8:51 am
OMG I LOVE MATH! although i don’t work in that line.. though you know when i’m jobless i surf around looking for mathematically solved puzzles.. crazy calculations.. simplified methods of calculating and stuff.. so do give some indepth details of what works like when you have time! adios!
Comment by The Evil Lankan — July 17, 2006 @ 11:29 am
omg!!! you are serious?!?!? it soo refreshing to hear someone who actually loves maths.. Maths is great, I used to love those math puzzle things when I was a kid, used to keep me occupied for ages…:d
yes, we shall definitely exchange some math-y ideas..:)
Comment by Savi — July 17, 2006 @ 2:55 pm
Respect! The last time I studied maths was at O-level…even then I was confused most of the time…whether that was the maths or the cute girl in class I don’t know:), btw talking to yourself is perfectly normal!! I do it all the time..
“Mathematicians are not socially inept creatures, who do not have a life, they are some of the most creative and persevering people that the world has ever produced” - those from my experience would be IT people..
Comment by childof25 — July 17, 2006 @ 5:31 pm
in my experience concentration required to solve some mathematical problem can take one in to a deep meditative state. quite something.
btw is getting up at 2-3 am eccentric ? if so i am eccentric bc i do that almost every day.
Comment by sittingnut — July 18, 2006 @ 1:28 am
Yep
me pretty much a calculation addict! Hmm.. i love that grid thingy you can make 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 in which no matter which way you add the totals are the same. Kinda hard to keep those in mind though 
But later I got into playing card tricks which use mathematics to drive people crazy! lol 
But loving it and still doing it on free time 
When u have the time!
Comment by The Evil Lankan — July 18, 2006 @ 8:55 am
Sitting nut: sometimes I go to sleep at 6am, even when I dont go out in the night.:) hmmm maybe you are eccentric..I dont know
Evil Lankan:Your ‘grid thingy’ its called Sudoko !!! :p
Comment by Savi — July 18, 2006 @ 12:22 pm
since there was no return e mail addy…i love classics…mozart to bach to…much better than song2 by blur…ha!
Comment by dilsiriw — July 19, 2006 @ 2:59 pm
hi there…after leaving the post, i started reading your blog…even though i m a person more inclined to the arts i find the ‘nerdy’ subjects of math and physic facinating. i guess this mindset of mine shifted after watching bbc’s horizon and the interviews with stephan hawkings and roger penrose…you keep at it…who knows maybe your math may actually help change the world we live in…..
Comment by dilsiriw — July 19, 2006 @ 3:07 pm
Oh no.. i wasn’t refering to sudoko.. hmm.. it’s something else
hard to explain.. in this.. every line.. vertical.. horizontal.. and diagonally have to add up to the same number.. say in a 3 by 3 box.. everything adds upto 15 no matter what.. but it gets harder when you get upto like a 5*5 or 7*7.. http://www.allmath.com/magicsquare.php is a link to the simplest one 
you might like this site 
Comment by The Evil Lankan — July 20, 2006 @ 2:54 pm
ooh magic squares..yeah!! they are pretty cool..interesting that you follow magic squares out of leisure
coz the first time I came across them, was in the classroom!!
There is actually quite a bit of theory and application involved in magic squares.
Very cool!
Comment by Savi — July 20, 2006 @ 6:56 pm
Lol
Yes there is a nice bit of theory! You know im one of those people who havent what life is about still! well my life atleast 
so till i figure it out 
This is what i do ! 
Comment by The Evil Lankan — July 28, 2006 @ 11:16 am
Oh my goodness! Tis the maths reasearcher!!!! Ahhhh! :0 Everytime I think about it my head hurts :s Good heavens Sav!
Comment by Tigris — August 4, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
Three economists and three mathematicians were going for a trip by train. Before journey the mathematicians bought 3 tickets (they could count to three) and the economists only one. The mathematicians were glad their stupid colleagues were going to pay a fine. However, when the conductor was approaching their compartment, all three economists went to the nearest toilet. The conductor, noticing that somebody was in the loo, knocked on the door and in reply saw a hand with the ticket. He checked it and the economists saved 2/3 of the ticket price.
Next day the mathematicians decided to use the same strategy - they bought only one ticket, but the economists did not buy tickets at all. When the mathematicians saw the conductor they went to the loo, and when they heard knocking they handed in the ticket. They did not get it back. Why?
The economists took it and went to the other toilet.
Comment by Ravana — August 6, 2006 @ 6:30 pm
have you ever tried to reduce mathematical formulae and notation back into english sentences, and work out solutions that way?
its near impossible in trig, complex numbers and calculus, but with fractions, vectors and sets its quite lovely to see the way arguments get created. also helps reinforce concepts…
…i’m kidding by the way.
Comment by jokerman — September 5, 2006 @ 10:43 am