does maths ability have a shelf life?

[Xenophon]

It sits proudly on my shelf

I just have a whip and a 'Rabbit' on my shelf.

[Xenophon]

Anyway us geeks feel sorry for you BB watchers. Never will you experience the satisfaction of understanding some deep insight into the world.

To be honest I stopped watching it after the first couple of weeks, but don't feel sorry for me. I'll get by just fine without "Differential Equations Demystified".

[kali]

I just have a whip and a 'Rabbit' on my shelf.

You can't beat a 'Rabbit'

[expat]

So does no-one on here agree that learning and understanding stuff just gets easier as you get older?

I think that understanding does. In one of the few authentically difficult fields like mathematice, where learning must come first, before understanding, I do not believe that it does. That is why there have been few older mathematicians, and even those who lived long and remained sharp (like Bertrand Russell) turned to other fields as they got older.

[Xenophon]

You can't beat a 'Rabbit'

My kinda girl.

[sasguru]

I think that understanding does. In one of the few authentically difficult fields like mathematice, where learning must come first, before understanding, I do not believe that it does. That is why there have been few older mathematicians, and even those who lived long and remained sharp (like Bertrand Russell) turned to other fields as they got older.

What's the difference between learning and understanding? If you've understood something you've learnt it IMHO.

[expat]

What's the difference between learning and understanding? If you've understood something you've learnt it IMHO.

Indeed. But e.g. maths takes a lot of learning, and it doesn't get easier to learn with age. Understanding does get easier with age, if you have been absorbing and thinking all that time.

A corollary is that understanding maths does not get easier, because learning it does not.

[Charles Foster Kane]

I use Trachtenberg mathematics FTW.

Everyone thinks I'm an autistic savant because I can multiply 10+ digit numbers by each other in seconds.

Google it. Change your life. It can be our secret.

HTH. CFK.

[sasguru]

I use Trachtenberg mathematics FTW.

Everyone thinks I'm an autistic savant because I can multiply 10+ digit numbers by each other in seconds.

Google it. Change your life. It can be our secret.

HTH. CFK.

That's arithmetic, not maths. You fail.

[Charles Foster Kane]

That's arithmetic, not maths. You fail.

Arithmetic is the oldest branch of Mathematics.

You buffoon.