Mgccl's Ivory Towerso tired

I found it boring to only solving problems by myself.

Only a few classes I have attended have interactive problem solving sessions, those classes ROCKED.

---List of problem solving sessions I had on campus--- ignore if you don't care---
CSE 150, I think this is the best course I have taken in my entire life. I assume this class is somewhat like classes in AwesomeMath or other math camps. Students engaged and anticipated in solving the problems.
CSE 350, especially the recitation, is similar to CSE 150.

There are two other classes related to problem solving, but not that interactive.
CSE 392. Most of the thinking for the problems are done outside classroom. The class is basically explaining how someone solved it.
MAT 160. I been to the class only twice. It seems to be like: Do the hw, discuss how it is done. Instead of doing it in class. What's good about the class, is there are people who are enthusiastic about solving the problems.

I expect to try MAT 260 and see how it works.

Other than courses, there are 2 other places I had done some problem solving.
Math club. Last semester the preparation for Putnam, the clubbers have done some problems.
ACM practice was also similar.
--------------------end list---------------------

I feel it's not enough. There is a lack of interactive problem solving sessions on campus. Won't it be nice if there is some club that meet sometimes every week and work on some problem collaboratively. Problems of math, computer science and physics nature. i.e. Union of math/cs/physics club and intersect it with problem solving.

Some possible format.
ARML/HMMT team competition like.
People can organize them into smaller groups, working on a set of problems at a time.
Then people explain their ideas.

Seminar like. Someone pick out some set of problem, and direct the flow of the solvers, ask for participation, until the problem get solved.(Similar to last semester's math club)

Just putting the idea out there. I would totally come to events like this.

It should be in future tense, I was right on almost all problems on the last hw I submitted. Those are some classical counting problems.

I'm dying from AMS 311 hw no.2(due tomorrow). I'm getting almost every single question wrong during the first attempt and require extensive amount of time to correct them in a period of 8 hours with help of various people(#math in freenode). I need to find a systematic way to deal with this when I find some time.

It's still possible there are errors in my extensively corrected hw.

What's the probability of being dealt one pair from poker?(a,a,b,c,d. where a,b,c,d are distinct values)

Seven balls randomly withdraw from an urn, find the probability that 3 red, 2 blue, and 2 green balls are withdrawn.

Suppose that n balls are randomly distributed into N compartments. Find the probability that m balls will fall into the first compartment. Assume that all N^n arrangements are equally likely.

I got all those question wrong the first time I tried(and these just tip of the iceberg).

They are suppose to be easy problems, it's hw problem from a introductory probability text.

How can I not get it? I have no problem doing CSE 555 problems(although hard, but at least I don't get wrong answers). I can do MAT 160 problems(btw, they are interesting) with a reasonable amount of confidence. In my opinion those problems suppose to be way harder than the ones in AMS 311.

There is something wrong with my counting skills. I can't count correctly. Inclusion exclusion principle and other counting principles are not what I didn't master. I always have stupid reasoning during counting.

For example, for the balls and urn problem. I thought, there are 12 ways to chose the first red ball, 11 for 2nd red ball, 10 for 3rd red ball and etc. The probability would be . At the moment I found it perfectly reasonable, then I did a calculation. WRONG, it's greater than 1.

Then I realized it's
Interesting how I got the question just before the balls one correct the first attempt.

A forest contain 20 elks, 5 are captured, tagged then released. Then 4 of the 20 elks are captured, what's the probability that 2 of these 4 have been tagged?

That question is almost isomorphic to the balls one. Why do I have a complete different set of reasoning for the 2 problems?

I don't get it.
Do I not understand counting?

What if when I did some probability wrong, but it is something smaller than 1? I will get the problem wrong and only realize it when I get my hw back.

I feel like I will fail the first midterm.
Oh well, seems like I have to do every single problem in the textbook.

I did my planning for Spring 2010 semester a long time ago.
It is quite strange, everything worked out so well. Maybe too well.
Suspicious.
19 credit limit is coming up in 2 days, so I checked my plan just in case.
HOLY SHIT. My plan is completely ruined.
I ignored the fact that CSE 350 is a 4 credit course. So currently I have 17 credits.
My original plan was to pick AMS 311, then MAT 310 during each credit limit increase, so I have exactly 23 credit worth of awesomeness.

Easy way out: Not taking ITS 102 this semester. I can still follow up with all my plans.
I have one more spring anyways.

Thx a lot for that mandatory 2 credits. My opinion: ITS 101+102 is totally useless. Replace that with ITS 102 and a "common sense challenge exam" would be much better.

In other news.
I'm still waiting for instructors permission for me to take MAT 310.

Is it me or is MIT Press really awesome? I can't believe how many amazing books come out from MIT press. A lot of the more serious books in my book list are from MIT Press.

I can't say anymore about those book anymore than why I want to read them.
Learning list for this Winter and Spring 2010. I will keep this page updated so I know how far I am from all my goals(apart from long term goals of finish SICP/
CLRS/TAoCP/CM before college ends,(TAoCP before college ends? not likely...))

• Textbook/official courses
  • The Algorithm Design Manual
    CSE 373. I'm currently doing this book and I'm up to chapter 3. I liked the interview problems exercises, particularly this one:
    

    Write a function to perform integer division without using either the / or * operators. Find a fast way to do it.

    My algorithm is where . This book and the following book can be founded on SpringerLink. If you are in a university, you might able to get the pdf version for free. Plan: Finish every exercise in the book before semester starts.

  • Programming Challenges
    CSE 392. I have read half of the book. Plan: Finish it during the semester
  • Linear Algebra Done Right
    MAT 310. I haven't signed up for the class yet, waiting for academic overload. Plan: Finish it during the semester, do all exercises.
  • Applied Combinatorics
    AMS 301. OMG it's applied. hmm, I wonder if this book is as valuable as it's price. Plan: Finish it during the semester, do only required exercise and ones that look fun.
  • An Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning
    MAT 200. I'm done with the book, but haven't checked the exercises. Plan: Do the exercises as the class goes on
  • Introduction to the Theory of Computation, Second Edition
    CSE 350. This is by far the most expensive book I saw. Done 100 pages, then I got distracted. Plan: Finish the book and exercises before semester starts
  • First Course in Probability, A (8th Edition)
    AMS 311(waiting for 19 credit limit). Plan: Do it as the class goes on
  • Mathematical Analysis I (Universitext) (v. 1)
    I'm weak in every math discipline, especially analysis. During Putnam, I skipped every single problem that is analysis related. Here is a book will bring me back to my knees(or feet?)
    Plan: Hopefully, finish half of it before spring semester ends. For some reason I found it much harder than any other math text I met.
• Non-textbook books
  • Philosophy of Mind: A Contemporary Introduction (Routledge Contemporary Introductions to Philosophy)
    Done!
  • The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe
    I did read some 'pop' science books, like a long time ago. This one is on my list because I need stronger 'pop' science books so I don't read about things I already know.
    Plan: Finish it some time before spring ends
  • Proof and Other Dilemmas: Mathematics and Philosophy (Spectrum)
    I like philosophy and math, well said.
    Plan: Read it in bed, although it is not a bed time reading material
  • Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy (FSG Classics)
    DONE! with the book. Good read. I first learned about the book from Matrix67, mainly because it's self-reference aroused my interest(due to my love for GEB). Then I noticed it also concerns with philosophy. Nice. Someone suggest me to read A History of Western Philosophy instead. Yeah, I will try that one when I'm free.
  • The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind
    Done! This book is on my reading list for so long. I can't wait to read about how people lose themselves in a crowd.
  • Reasoning About Knowledge
    Plan: Read it sometime before spring ends.
  • Reasoning about Uncertainty
    Plan: Read it sometime before spring ends.
  • The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit, Twentieth Anniversary Edition
    Done!
  • Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning
    Sure, Pólya's stuff is not that hard in today's society...
    Again, Matrix67 introduced me to this book because of the problems in it. He recommended the problems, because those are arranged in a way such that every problem helps solving later problems. Hmmm... sounds like a... inductive experience...
    Plan: Read it during the semester
  • Programming Interviews Exposed: Secrets to Landing Your Next Job, 2nd Edition (Programmer to Programmer)
    Done! The puzzles in this book are limited, and almost way too trivial. All of them can be solved in less than 10 minutes.[ha, these are nothing compare to ACM]. Although implement them was a problem. If I was doing the implementation during a interview, my program will have lot of bugs. Well, at least it taught me the interview process.
    All the rest are puzzle books either related to math or logic. because I want to train my brain and not fail during job interviews. btw Mensa have some interesting puzzle book titles, I want to check them out.
  • Puzzles for Programmers and Pros
    These puzzles are not ez. Although not impossible.
    Plan: I can wake up and find a puzzle everyday. keep it in mind while waiting for something, which prevent me from daze off and look around like a creeper.
  • Entertaining Mathematical Puzzles
    Done! I saw this book in the SBU math libray, so I picked it up and did it. Like the title said, it is entertaining. Most problems are trivial, because I have seen them at places.
  • The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations (Math & Logic Puzzles)
    Currently doing this one in my spare time, done 50 problems already(all of those are all brainteaser kind puzzle require only a little math) and I saw at least 1/3 of the puzzles before. Hmmm... this start to raise a question, when did I do so many puzzles? I never tried a puzzle book until like few days ago.
    Plan: Finish before the semester starts.
  • 536 puzzles & curious problems
    Plan: Finish before the semester starts.
• Non textbook material
  • Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? with Michael Sandel
    DONE! Amazing video lectures. I dislike how Sandel talks really really slow. Go watch it if you like to think about... stuff...
  • ADUni's Theory of Computation
    A supplement for CSE 350.
    Plan: Finish it before semester starts.
  • ADUni's Algorithms
    Goes together with the CSE 373 and long term goal of complete CLRS.
    Plan: Finish it before semester starts.
  • ADUni's Object-oriented Program Design and Software Engineering
    Since I do not intend to do CSE 160, I will use this to cover w/e I'm going to miss.
    Plan: Finish it during the semester.

A few more to squeeze in if I have time or the mood: Hacker's Delight, The Princeton Companion to Mathematics, What Is Mathematics? An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods, Conceptual foundations of international politics, Evolution, ecology and behavior, Literary Theory, The Future of Human Health,Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time,Riot at the Calc Exam and Other Mathematically Bent Stories.

Now to my 2nd topic.
While I was trying to search for "Proof and Other Dilemmas" on the local library, I stumbled upon this epic work.
Proof by Seduction(Historical romance novel). OMG did someone take the joke by Brown Sharpie to a whole new level?[Link to the proof by seduction comic].
There is no way this is a coincidence. The pun was totally intended.
Yes, I was right, here is a passage from the author's website where she explains about the title.

There”s a method of mathematical proof called a “Proof by Induction.” Induction is a method of logical thinking, and it’s closely related to another kind of logical thinking (deduction).

Ahh, I knew!
Oh wait, what does she mean by induction is related to deduction? Wasn't she just talking about mathematical induction a sentence before? Did she get induction and mathematical induction mixed up? Did she forget to create a new paragraph to eliminate the confusing?
She later states

The nitpicky amongst you will note that Gareth, as a scientist, really only employs the method of inductive reasoning, not ever a proof by induction. This bothered me to no small extent, but ultimately “Proof by Seduction” is a much, much better title than “Proof by Seductive Reasoning” and elegance won out over the desire to have an arcane pun that was both arcane and nitpicky.

Oh, I see.
Really? Calling the book proof by seduction and not letting the main character do at least one proof by induction? That's just outrageous. I'm sure anyone can squeeze a proof of rational number can be written as a product of factorials and it's reciprocals in their novel.
Still, it's awesome to see a epic pun become a title of a book.

Classes I'm taking next semester
I will not list the section if there is only one.

AMS 301-02 wait listed
OMG the professor is Estie Arkin. If I remembered correctly, President Kunin of the math club recommend her to me (or is it some other female professor?). The class wasn't full yesterday. in other news, AMS 301-01 is almost empty. Well, who is Professor Ning Sun anyway. oh wait, she is a Ph.D student. that might be why everyone is crowded in section 2. But it be awesome if anyone who is already in section 2 want to support her class. :)

CSE 350
Rawr, I can't believe how many classes are the same time as CSE 350. (CSE 331 for instance) there are at least 5 more classes I can pick are on the exact same time.

CSE 392
Skiena will be doing programming challenges for this class. AWESOME. I like challenges.

ITS 102-S17
If you like math, chose this one for your ITS class. Alan Tucker, the author of Applied Combinatorics, is doing this class.

MAT 160
If you like math, chose this one too. MATH PUZZLE and GAMES

MAT 200-02
I like smaller classes, so I chose this one. Also because I know 2 people who are actually interested in math going for this class too.

15 credits. For now...

Anyone in my same classes leave a comment.

This is not exactly what I expected because CSE 373 is closed. WTF man.
I'm not going to do any writing next semester. or a few semester beyond. I will leave everything to later... yeah... very late...
Give me a break, I'm trying to get a 4.0 GPA(for at least 2 years) here. I can't let DEC and writing screw up my awesome MAT/CSE GPA.
Let's see if the registrar going to call me and force me to take one. It seems SBU can't force me to take any classes I didn't sign up myself. Try convince me to sign up this time! MWHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA. I'm not taking any writing! BITE ME! (unless the consequence is expulsion/suspension/a hold/restriction on the amount of bacon I can consume).
So I talked with the adviser. Seems like I can hold writing till later time. AWESOME.

I'm thinking of not going to my current ESL class and just get a U. U doesn't count in my GPA. C does. This is like a withdraw from the class, except I get a U instead of a W. I don't have to wasting all my effort to get a C. I just don't do it and wait till my Junior year or something. Please give me your opinion on that because I found this sound non-orthodox.
I'm going to get a U because I can. (by skipping 2 classes. I'm experienced with skipping classes. My professor sometimes look at me as if "is he even in my class?".)
Oh right, it is a huge waste of 3 credits. At least I have those time free to do something else for the rest of the semester.