Math Blog

Building a strong career in Internet Marketing

Hope this post is useful for students considering studying marketing in the future!

Building a strong career in Internet Marketing

If you want to break into the internet marketing field, there’s no time like the present. According to research, the amounts dedicated to digital marketing in enterprises of all sizes will steadily increase over the course of the next few years.

The internet marketing field is rather wide, and you’ll have to choose one or two areas you’re most comfortable with, but for all of these fields, the requirements for you in order to build a strong career and hence prove your worth to prospective clients and employers will mostly be the same.

The following is a list of five things you can do to distinguish yourself as an Internet marketing consultant, given by key players in the industry:

  • Marketing experience

A diploma or degree in a marketing related field will only go so far in honing your skill as a marketer; the more valuable education is the more experience you’ll gain working different cases out in the field. Most clients and employers look for candidates who have noteworthy marketing experience, so start building your expertise as soon as possible.

While in college, take up jobs and internships that will allow you to apply your classroom education and be involved hands-on in any marketing campaigns that come around you, no matter how small. Search for internships to occupy your holiday times while you are in school, so that you create for yourself an advantage over other recent graduates once you’re churned out into the job market.

  • Understand the field

Read everything you can in the field of Internet marketing that interests you: trends and statistics, new technologies, news, terminologies, metrics etc. You should also have a good working knowledge of all the metrics and analytical tools that are applied to the measurement of the efficacy of your campaign.

There are many methods of measuring effectiveness, so you should know as many as you can, and where each can be applied in order to add value to your client’s projects and campaigns.

  • Have an online presence

Create for yourself a vibrant online presence because all your clients will look into that before taking you on. Employers are also likely to choose the candidate with the stronger online presence when they have matching qualifications. Build your personal online brand as this may also be effective if you want to launch out and begin your own Internet marketing gig.

  • Jack of all trades, master in one

It’s good to know a little something about every field of internet marketing, but it’s better to have one or two fields that you know inside out. Distinguish yourself in areas of greatest interest, but know where and how you can find assistance in any other field if the need for it arises in the course of handling your employer’s or client’s businesses.

Begin by dipping your foot into the practical and basic aspects of everything, and then narrow down to the one you’re performing the best at.

  • Peer reviews and networks

Take advantage of all opportunities to build your knowledge and networks. Engage with peers in career fairs, conferences and other meet-up forums, and exchange ideas and experience. Also take advantage of such gathering to evaluate your work and gain tips on how they can be improved. Jealously nurture your offline relationships as you do the online relationships.

Author Bio

John Lewis has 5 years’ experience in internet marketing. For more information and guidance on internet marketing and to view and receive top web reviews for design work, contact us below

 

 

Tips to becoming an Oracle DBA

Here are some tips on becoming an Oracle database administrator. It will be useful for students interested in computer science and IT. 🙂

Tips to becoming an Oracle DBA

The Oracle database is the most sophisticated and complex database today. Knowing enough to become a database administrator is not an easy task. Oracle dataset administration is only recommended for information technology, information systems and computer science professionals who have undergone the relevant Oracle training.

The Oracle DBA’s position and salary attracts many young graduates, but few know exactly what it takes before they can earn this hallowed title in any company. An Oracle DBA is typically a senior-level manager in the smaller companies, mid-level in much bigger corporations, and their annual salaries can go as high as $ 100,000-250,000.

But the money does come with its load of responsibility – data management for the whole company, with the risk of grounding all operations with just a slight glitch. The first thing any aspiring DBA will have to remember is that database administration is just like any other profession; there’s no shortcut leading to the top.

Preparation, preparation and more preparation!

You can’t wake up one morning and decide to enroll for a DBA course, more so an Oracle DBA course. Majority of the successful DBAs in Oracle began to learn after obtaining their Bachelor’s and even Master’s degree in an IT related field. This is a career move that will require thought and plenty of preparation beforehand, and a lot of dedication after.

Oracle DBA requires 24/7 unfailing commitment, with long hours (since most of your work begins after everyone has checked out for the day) and on-call duty during holidays and other important occasions. That’s not all, as a DBA, you must keep yourself updated with every new change that comes in the Oracle and computer systems technology or you risk obsolescence.

You can now see that the Oracle DBA does earn every one of the dollars he’s paid, right?

Below is a list of qualities you should have in order to succeed in the pursuit of a career in Oracle Database Administration:

  • Communication skills

An Oracle DBA will constantly be in communication with end-users and managers to determine their data needs and act accordingly. College-level communication skills will be a must, with outstanding abilities to communicate through any medium and interpret information provided.

  • Business degree

It helps a lot if you have a college degree in business administration from a proper graduate training institution. This equips you with the foundational understanding of business systems and processes, which is required in order to best perform your job as an Oracle Applications DBA.

  • Foundational DBA skills

Prior to becoming an Oracle DBA, which is more demanding and complex, it’s recommended that you practice database administration at lower levels. Oracle has designed levels of learning for beginners, and practicing as you pursue OCA and OCM certification will be very helpful. This is because an Oracle DBA should understand other related database technologies as well e.g. Oracle Application Server and Java – J2EE, JDeveloper, Apache.

  • College classes

In preparation for a career in DBA, Operations Research is a class you want to take in your CS or IT course. This involves the development of complex decision rules and their application to real-life datasets. The back-end data store is usually Oracle, and it provides a great platform to prepare for the job setting.

Author Bio

Tom Foster is an expert in database administration. For more information on WordPress, SQL, Oracle and other database management and administration, contact the database professionals by visiting their website.

 

 

Buy New Car or Extend 5 More Years Old Car

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

Assumptions:
1. Class A (< 1600 cc) Old car (10 years expiring soon) is in good condition:
♢ Less than 200,000 KM
♢ Certified safe by qualified workshop

2. COE last-3-month average price ~$ 60,000 (10 years)
=> $30,000 (5 years)

3. New Car market price of $100,000

4. Parf rebate $7,000 (forfeited if extend car beyond 10 years)

5. Monthly Car Loan (@2.88% for max. bank loan 60% & max 5 years = $60k) = $1,144 (= interest + capital)
5-year car loan = $1,144 x12x5 = $ 68,640
Downpayment Cash = $40,000 (or $20,000 for 5-year Cost of Ownership )

image
Compare Buy or Extension (Both 5 years)

Description Buy Extension
1. Car Price (down payment) for 5 years $20,000$…
2.COE (5-Yrs)$…$ 30,000
3. Car Loan (5 Yrs) = car price + COE $ 68,640 $…
4. Parf rebate$7,000 – $ 7,000
Cost of Ownership…

View original post 46 more words

Circle & Hidden 9

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

‘9’ is the biggest number in the digits {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}.

9 is reserved for the ancient Chinese Emperors whose robes were sewn with 9 dragons, and the palace roof top decorated with 9 dragons too.

image

http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA3MjE0ODAzMw==&mid=204651538&idx=1&sn=33027a35921519fe42c647e1f5a4dadc&scene=1&from=groupmessage&isappinstalled=0#rd

image

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Free Career Analysis (With Prizes to be Won)

Free Career Analysis (With Prizes to be Won):
Are you a Careerist, Entrepreneur, Harmoniser, Idealist, Hunter, Internationalist, or Leader?

Find out by doing this Free Career Analysis by renowned survey company Universum:
http://uledge.co/ambWWCY

Thanks a lot for your help! You will also benefit by finding out your Career Personality, which is released at the end of the survey!

1st prize: Win a week-long trip to Singapore, Stockholm, or New York.

Website: http://uledge.co/ambWWCY

Latest Posts on Mathtuition88.blogspot.com

Recently, I have been blogging at http://mathtuition88.blogspot.com. Here are the latest posts that you may want to check out!

This is a JavaScript app that I wrote to perform the XOR function on two hexadecimal strings. This is to help solve one of the cryptography assignements on Coursera.

I am providing tuition for SMU Calculus module: Math 001. A previous student of mine passed the module, despite not having any H2 Maths background. The module is highly challenging, and includes multivariable calculus.

  • Dragon Curve and Jurassic Park
    This is to introduce two videos on the mysterious and fascinating fractal: The Dragon Curve. Not many people have heard about it!

Featured Book:

The Fractal Geometry of Nature

Review

“A rarity: a picture book of sophisticated contemporary research ideas in mathematics.”–Douglas Hofstadter, author of Godel, Escher, Bach

 

 

PSLE Maths

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

This is Singapore PSLE (Primary School Leaving Exams) Maths for 12- year-old kids.

It is not difficult for adults, but I wonder most kids have such analytical skill ?

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Answers below (scroll far behind….)
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(1)

image

(2):
R – B = 1 for every suite of 5 cards
If R-B = 36
36×5= 180 cards

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Free JavaScript App to split text every few characters

This is a simple JavaScript application to split characters every few characters, separated by a comma. Useful to make long strings more easy to read.

Site: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2015/01/javascript-application-to-split-text.html

This is a simple JavaScript application that can split text every “n” characters, and add a separator of your choice in between. (E.g. separated by comma, space, semicolon, etc.) For instance, given the input:”abcde12345″, separating using the default settings will output:”ab,cd,e1,23,45″. Hope it helps!

Screenshot:

screenshot javascript

Important Guidelines For Cracking Interview In Finance Company

Hope this article will be useful for students wishing to enter into the highly popular but also competitive Finance Industry! Finance jobs are open to students who major in diverse disciplines, including Engineering.

Important Guidelines For Cracking Interview In Finance Company

Cracking an interview at times seems to be a daunting task. If you are facing the jitters because of the upcoming interview in the finance company, then the best way to do so is to be prepared for the interview. Though there is no on-stop solution for the same, but remembering few important points can help you to overcome the fear related to the interview. During the interview in the financial sector, the interviewers assess whether the candidate is appropriate for the job, both in the professional and personal level. It is important for the job-seekers to communicate their ideas clearly during the interview process so that the prospective employer can gage how the candidate will perform under pressure.

Few tips to remember

Some amount of research, planning and preparation is required to crack the interview. Adequateknowledge regarding the subject is the key to crack the interview. Following few simple tips can help you to master the interview.

  • Research about the company as the services and products that are catered by the company. You can go through the website of the company and have an insight of the same. Recent news, press releases and recent accomplishments can help you to stay abreast about the financial company.
  • Identify your character traits as the strength and weaknesses and assess whether you are suitable for the job. It is imperative to say that the recruiters emphasize on the skill set of the candidate while they describe a job responsibility. Prior to the interview, make sure that you go through the job responsibility so that you can gage the qualities that the recruiters are looking for. This will also give you the hint of the questions that they might ask you during the interview. So after you have identified your behavioral traits, you can determine the ways through which you can add value to the company.
  • Interview gives the applicants the platform to showcase their skills and knowledge. So, make sure that you carry a detailed portfolio. This will include two copies of the resume, and along with the different certificates that will reflect your credentials. Make sure that you have these documents in one folder so that you can produce them with ease without going through piles of paper. Prepare the documents in accordance to the job description and the requirement of the job and the company. This also reflects your professionalism. If you have prior experience of working in any financial company, it is wise to showcase that.
  • Your appearance and presentation are also importance for creating an impression on the recruiters. Your attire affects the psyche of the recruiters, so pay heed to what you wear for your interview. If you are wearing any perfume, make sure that it is not too strong.
  • It is important to be polite during the interview. Make sure that you communicate clearly with the interviewer. Remember the way you present yourself will create a negative or positive impression about you. Convey your dedication towards your work and also your pride. Refrain from interrupting your recruiters as this might irk them.
  • While responding to the questions maintain a decent way. Your posture and gait also createsa positive impression on the recruiter.
  • Reach the venue of the interview ahead of the scheduled interview in formal attire.Great the receptionist or the concerned person on meeting them.
  • You can prepare a list of questions that are likely asked in the interviews and practice the same.

Knowing these tricks will help you to answer the questions asked during the interview seamlessly. It is important to remember that the key to cracking the interview is to stay positive and remain cool all through.

Author Bio: Ralph Spencer is a career counselor, and he also writes blogs on the tips for a successful career. You can click here to know the tips of cracking an interview.

 

New Year Maths Movie to Watch: The Imitation Game

Reblogged from: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2015/01/math-movie-imitation-game.html

imitation game

 

Read more at: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2015/01/math-movie-imitation-game.html


Featured Book:

Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film “The Imitation Game”

This book is currently ranked Top 100 book in the whole world! (#95 according to Amazon.com)

It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the British mathematician Alan Turing (1912-1954) saved the Allies from the Nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decades–all before his suicide at age forty-one. This acclaimed biography of the founder of computer science, with a new preface by the author that addresses Turing’s royal pardon in 2013, is the definitive account of an extraordinary mind and life.

Capturing both the inner and outer drama of Turing’s life, Andrew Hodges tells how Turing’s revolutionary idea of 1936–the concept of a universal machine–laid the foundation for the modern computer and how Turing brought the idea to practical realization in 1945 with his electronic design. The book also tells how this work was directly related to Turing’s leading role in breaking the German Enigma ciphers during World War II, a scientific triumph that was critical to Allied victory in the Atlantic. At the same time, this is the tragic account of a man who, despite his wartime service, was eventually arrested, stripped of his security clearance, and forced to undergo a humiliating treatment program–all for trying to live honestly in a society that defined homosexuality as a crime.

The inspiration for a major motion picture starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley,Alan Turing: The Enigma is a gripping story of mathematics, computers, cryptography, and homosexual persecution.

Free Psychometric Career Matching Service

If you know or are a stressed teen, returning veteran, or a high school counselor then this free online service may be of great service to you. MyVerse is a free online service dedicated to psychometrically matching individuals to 1-5 careers via a color test. MyVerse will be a great first step towards a career path, and create a foundation for a person to build upon.

Right now 92% of high school seniors are not sure what career path they want to take and there is a 52% drop out rate among first year college students. MyVerse will help guide individuals along the correct path and give people a goal to achieve which will drastically reduce the dropout rates across the nation.

Right now MyVerse has a campaign on RocketHub found here. There you can contribute to the MyVerse campaign so we can see this awesome new online career service that has so much potential come to life.

myverse

Calendar 2015 = 1997

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

Interesting thing about saturday in 2015
4/4/2015 saturday
6/6/2015 saturday
8/8/2015 saturday
10/10/2015 saturday
12/12/2015 saturday

Calendar of 2015 is same as calendar of 1997

Date & Day even Festivals are same,

Who told history doesn’t repeat ?

So

We are back in 90s

Have a Blessed Happy New Year!

Calendar Math explains:

http://tomcircle.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/calendar-math/

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The Significance of 8888: MH17+MH370+QZ8501

Although the QZ8501 plane is now confirmed to be in the Java Sea, we still hope that there may be some survivors, who may have possibly swum to a nearby island. Hopefully, the rescuers may be able to rescue some of the passengers.

This is a followup on the previous post on the Probability of adding up to 8888.

Other than the QZ 8501 incident, there are many other incidents that have relation to “8888” or “8” in general. Some of them are the “8888” Uprising in Myanmar, the May 12 Sichuan earthquake, the Blizzard of January 25, and the Tibetan Riots of March 14.

To read more, visit: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2014/12/the-significance-of-8888-mh17mh370qz8501.html

One special fact about 8, is that it is the only natural perfect power that is one less than another perfect power. (2^3=3^2-1) This is known as Catalan’s conjecture or Mihăilescu’s theorem.

Lastly, you may want to watch this video on Chinese Lucky Numbers by Numberphile.


Featured Book:

Biblical Numerology: A Basic Study of the Use of Numbers in the Bible

A sane explanation of biblical numerology. Davis explains the conventional, rhetorical, symbolic, and mystical use of numbers in this fascinating study of the structure and syntax of biblical numbers.

Numbers are present throughout the Bible, and do have some meanings. Why did God create the world in seven days? (rest on the seventh day) Why did Jesus have 12 disciples, not more or not less? Read this book to find out!

记乘法表 Multiplication Table

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

女童记不住乘法表崩溃大哭”三五太難了”:

This 4-year-old Chinese girl cried when her mother ‘tortured’ her to recite Multiplication table by rote learning. She always got stuck at 3 x 5= ?
She complained it is too difficult.

Most parents are teaching the kids Mathematics the wrong way! No wonder they grow up with hate and fear for Maths subject throughout the entire life.

Same in schools and universities, Maths are taught the wrong ways by incompetent Math educators.

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Math of QZ8501 (Sum of 3 numbers that add up to 8888)

Source: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2014/12/math-of-qz8501-sum-of-3-numbers-that.html

We sincerely hope that Captain Iriyanto, the pilot of missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, and all other passengers survive and return safely. Hopefully the plane will be found soon.

Something mysterious about the recent missing airplanes is that their numbers add up to 8888, a mystical number in Chinese culture. MH17, MH370, QZ8501, 17+370+8501=8888.

We have calculated that it is not a common event at all, it is rarer than winning the top prize in 4D, a lottery in Singapore.

Probability of 3 random numbers (from 1 to 9999) adding to 8888: 0.0039497% , or around 1 in 25,000.

Probability of winning the First Prize in 4D: 0.01%, or 1 in 10,000.

8888

 

Read more at: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2014/12/math-of-qz8501-sum-of-3-numbers-that.html


Featured Book:

Introduction to Probability, 2nd Edition

An intuitive, yet precise introduction to probability theory, stochastic processes, and probabilistic models used in science, engineering, economics, and related fields. The 2nd edition is a substantial revision of the 1st edition, involving a reorganization of old material and the addition of new material. The length of the book has increased by about 25 percent. The main new feature of the 2nd edition is thorough introduction to Bayesian and classical statistics.

Mind, Brain And Education

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

Mind, Brain And Education
1. Spaced Repetition
2. Retrieval Practice

Tool: Test
Not to assess what students know, but to reinforce it.
Memory is like a storage tank, a test as a kind of dipstick that measure how much information we’ve put in there.

But that’s not how the brain works.

Every time we pull up a memory, we make it stronger and more lasting, so that testing doesn’t just measure, it changes learning.

Simply reading over materials to be learnt, or even taking notes and making outlines, as many homework assignments require, doesn’t have this effect.

Language learner: 80% retained.
Science: 50% retained.

Self-quizzing (focus less on input of knowledge by passive reading, focus more on output by calling out that same information from brain.)

Cognitive disfluency:
Tough topic, recall better.
Interleaved assignment: mix up different kinds of problems instead of grouping by type.

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Worldwide Student Homework Hours

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

Weekly Homework (hours)

A recent survey in 44 OECD countries reveals for 15-year-old students an average of 5 hours / week of homework.

CountryHomework HrsExtra Hrs PISA
Shanghai14 Tuitions1
Singapore9.4 Tuitions2
Hong Kong6 Tuitions3
Korea2.7Tuitions 4
Japan3.8Tuitions5
Taipei5.9Tuitions6
Finland2.87
England4.926

PISA 2012:
image

PISA is like the Army IPPT Test on physical fitness. A fit soldier and a weak soldier go to war, whether he can fight with courage under duress to win the battle, has nothing to do with his IPPT scores.

Same for PISA scores…that explains why Americans are poor in PISA but produce many entrepreneurs, Nobel prize / Fields scientists, whereas China, Singapore, Korea, HK have only few.

image

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Star Wars Math

With the Star Wars Episode 7 coming up, all Star Wars fans are really excited. The trailer alone has reached 50 million views, barely a month after it was released.

math of star warsWait, can Star Wars be related to Math? Yes it can! Check out The Math of Star Wars which describes a Math related question related to Star Wars! As a Math Tutor, I try my best to relate anything and everything to Math! 😛

Christmas is ending soon, and hope everyone had a nice day, and happy new Year!


Featured Book:

Star Wars Workbook: 1st Grade Math

Does your child love Star Wars but hate math? Well, this might just work! A highly rated Workbook based on Star Wars.

 

Guess Birthday Month based on First 4 NRIC Digits

One of the pros of Blogger is that JavaScript is allowed, whereas for WordPress, JavaScript is not allowed for security reasons. JavaScript is a pretty cool add on to a website, it can do simple calculations.

I have written a JavaScript Applet to Guess Birthday Month based on First 4 NRIC Digits, at http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2014/12/javascript-app-to-calculate-birthdate.html.

Do check it out if you are interested! (For fun only, it may not be 100% accurate).

The math theory is based on my earlier post at: Formula to guess Month of Birthday from Singapore NRIC.


Featured Post:

Mathematics for 3D Game Programming and Computer Graphics, Third Edition

Math Formula in WordPress vs Blogspot

Refering to How to write Math Formulas on Blogspot / Blogger, Blogspot is also capable of rendering beautiful Math Equations based on LaTeX.

blogger latex
Produced by Blogspot using MathJax

Blogger uses MathJax for rendering the Math Formulas, which look like the ones shown above.

Let’s try the WordPress version and readers can judge for themselves which is better.

\displaystyle a^p \equiv a \pmod p

\displaystyle\int_0^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \sin x\ dx=1

My personal opinion is: they look the same to be honest. However, the Blogger way of typing is much more convenient, just using $ and $$, as opposed to WordPress requiring “$latex” and “$latex\displaystyle”, which is more cumbersome especially for long texts. However, experts like Terence Tao have opted for WordPress, which shows that WordPress does probably have some advantages.


Featured Book:

The LaTeX Companion (Tools and Techniques for Computer Typesetting)

Math of Computer Memory and how to Solve the Blue Screen of Death (Windows)

In O Level E Maths, students are required to memorize the prefixes: kilo-, mega-, and giga-. For today’s computer literate generation, that should be no problem since kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes are used so commonly.

A practical usage of this is Computer Memory, and how to solve the dreaded Blue Screen of Death.

blue screen

 

I have recently discovered a truly remarkable method on how to solve the Blue Screen of Death, using a free tool called Glary Utilities. Read more about it here and hope it helps!

Site: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2014/12/the-math-of-computer-memory-and-how-to.html


Featured Book:

Computer Math: Problem Solving for Information Technology with Student Solutions Manual (2nd Edition)

Singapore Math (High School): Logarithm Question

The following is a follow up video on my earlier post on Logarithm Question (Challenging).

singapore-math-logarithmThe video is posted on: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2014/12/singapore-math-high-school-logarithm.html

Thanks for watching!


Featured Book:

John Napier: Life, Logarithms, and Legacy


Featured Posts:

Recommended Singapore Math Books

The Math of Santa Claus

santa

 

Is Santa real? Can we prove it using Math that Santa exists / does not exist?

Check out this website at: http://mathtuition88.blogspot.sg/2014/12/the-math-of-santa.html
(Actually it is a sister website of Mathtuition88.com, I have decided to post more often there to build up the site.)


Featured Book:

Everyday Calculus: Discovering the Hidden Math All Around Us

Calculus. For some of us, the word conjures up memories of ten-pound textbooks and visions of tedious abstract equations. And yet, in reality, calculus is fun, accessible, and surrounds us everywhere we go. In Everyday Calculus, Oscar Fernandez shows us how to see the math in our coffee, on the highway, and even in the night sky.

 

Free Career Analysis Survey

mathtuition88's avatarTuition Database Singapore

Free Career Analysis:
Are you a Careerist, Entrepreneur, Harmoniser, Idealist, Hunter, Internationalist, or Leader?

Find out by doing this Free Career Analysis by renowned survey company Universum:
http://uledge.co/ambWWCY

Thanks a lot for your help! You will also benefit by finding out your Career Personality, which is released at the end of the survey!

Website: http://uledge.co/ambWWCY

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YouTube Video: Fibonacci Numbers and the Mysterious Golden Ratio

This is a YouTube Video, based on my earlier post on Fibonacci Numbers and the Mysterious Golden Ratio!

Thanks for watching! Remember to speed up the video when necessary!


Featured Book:

The Fabulous Fibonacci Numbers

The most ubiquitous, and perhaps the most intriguing, number pattern in mathematics is the Fibonacci sequence. In this simple pattern beginning with two ones, each succeeding number is the sum of the two numbers immediately preceding it (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, ad infinitum). Far from being just a curiosity, this sequence recurs in structures found throughout nature – from the arrangement of whorls on a pinecone to the branches of certain plant stems. All of which is astounding evidence for the deep mathematical basis of the natural world.

With admirable clarity, two veteran math educators take us on a fascinating tour of the many ramifications of the Fibonacci numbers. They begin with a brief history of a distinguished Italian discoverer, who, among other accomplishments, was responsible for popularizing the use of Arabic numerals in the West. Turning to botany, the authors demonstrate, through illustrative diagrams, the unbelievable connections between Fibonacci numbers and natural forms (pineapples, sunflowers, and daisies are just a few examples).

NUS S/U Tips and Tricks from Provost

Source: http://blog.nus.edu.sg/provost/2014/12/23/su1101-the-science-and-art-of-the-su-option/

Check out this link by NUS Provost, Prof. Tan, who was also a Math Professor.

The Art of S/U:

Now, which grades should you keep?

If you obtained A or A+, well done and keep the grade!

If you obtained B+ or A-, I would generally encourage you to keep the grade as well. For those who may be thinking of exercising S/U on a B+ to qualify for the Dean’s List, do note that there will NOT be Dean’s Lists for the first two semesters.

If you obtained Bs and Cs, it is a little tricky. In theory, you should exercise S/U on your worst grades. However, the challenge is to do so without foresight of the grades that you will get for subsequent semesters. You should base your decisions on your academic goals and your self-assessment of your expected academic performance for the rest of your candidature. If you do not have a goal right now, your first semester CAP (before any S/U options are exercised) may be a good guide.

The S/U option is really a lifesaver for those at the borderlines, for example Borderline First Class Honours (CAP around 4.5), or Borderline Second Upper (Cap around 4.0). It makes a difference to your final grades.

The S/U option will apply to all Level 1000 modules (with or without pre-requisites) and Level 2000 modules without other NUS modules as pre-requisites, unless otherwise stipulated by the Faculties/Departments.

Taken from: http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/UG/graduation.html#SU

This is a great improvement from the earlier system, where students could only S/U non-core modules. New NUS students have it good!


Featured Book:

The Calculus Lifesaver: All the Tools You Need to Excel at Calculus (Princeton Lifesaver Study Guide)

 

Proof that Square Root of Two is Irrational [Rare Constructive Proof] (YouTube Video)

This is my second ever YouTube Video, and it is about a rarely seen proof (Constructive) that Square Root of Two is irrational.

The video is based on my earlier post on: Constructive Proof that Square Root of Two is irrational

Thanks for watching! Please speed up the video according to your preference! You can speed up either 2x or 1.5x for best effect.


Featured Book:

The Irrationals: A Story of the Numbers You Can’t Count On

The ancient Greeks discovered them, but it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that irrational numbers were properly understood and rigorously defined, and even today not all their mysteries have been revealed. In The Irrationals, the first popular and comprehensive book on the subject, Julian Havil tells the story of irrational numbers and the mathematicians who have tackled their challenges, from antiquity to the twenty-first century. Along the way, he explains why irrational numbers are surprisingly difficult to define–and why so many questions still surround them. Fascinating and illuminating, this is a book for everyone who loves math and the history behind it.

Factorize a^3-b^3 (O Level Math Tuition Question)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buhghuawde0

This is my first video on YouTube! 🙂

Please subscribe to my channel for more Math Videos coming in the future!


Featured Book:

Algebra Survival Guide Workbook: Thousands of Problems To Sharpen Skills and Enhance Understanding

mathtuition88's avatarMathtuition88

$latex (a-b)^3=a^3-3a^2b+3ab^2-b^3$

So,
$latex
begin{array}{rcl}
a^3-b^3&=&(a-b)^3+3a^2b-3ab^2
&=&(a-b)(a-b)^2+3a^2b-3ab^2
&=&(a-b)(a^2-2ab+b^2)+(a-b)(3ab)
&=&(a-b)(a^2+ab+b^2)
end{array}
$

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Singapore Calendar 2015 (Printable)

mathtuition88's avatarTuition Database Singapore

Hi Readers,

Are you looking for a printable 2015 Calendar, specially tailored for Singapore?

Check out this PDF printable 2015 calendar: Calendar

(Generated by http://www.calendarlabs.com/pdf-calendar.php)

Happy new year!


Featured book:
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Kids: 101 Stories about Good Decisions, Self-Esteem, and Positive Thinking

Give a child gifts that will last a lifetime – self-esteem, tolerance, values, and inner strength. This book is filled with inspirational stories for children and their families to share, all about kids making good choices and doing the right thing.

The values that children learn today will stay with them for the rest of their lives. This collection gives kids positive role models to follow in its 101 stories about doing the right thing and making healthy choices. You and your child will enjoy discussing the stories, making it a family event. Great for teachers to share with students too.

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无状元老师, 有状元学生

Chinoiseries2014's avatarChinoiseries 《汉瀚》[中/英/日/韩/法]

从来没有状元的老师, 却能培养出状元学生。中国历史的状元, 都是在科举失败的穷秀才教导出来的。看今日的Fields Medalists / Nobel Prize winners, 他们的指导教授多数没拿过这大奖。

法国有两位世界级的数学大师Evariste Galois, Charles Hermite,  相隔15年,同是一位中学数学老师培养。Mr. Richard  是巴黎路易大帝中学(Lycée Louis Le Grand) 的数学老师, 他能创新课材, 加上他本身是”数学迷”, 对学生因材施教, 慧眼视英雄于微时。Galois13 岁前是由妈妈家教(home-schooling), 中一才上学校。Richard看出他有数学天才, 个别教他读当代数学大师的书, 其他科目的老师却视他为功课低劣学生。

结果Galois发现群论 (Group Theory), 开创”抽象代数” (Abstract Algebra)。Galois不被世人接受, 因为他的理论太玄奥 (至今还是数学硕士班的难题), Cauchy, Fourier, Poissons,  Gauss… 这些世界数学泰斗也看不懂! 他的悲剧是法国大革命, 因枪斗而死, 才21岁的生命。可是他对人类的贡献是”Larger than Life”.

Richard 收集Galois的作业, 留给15年后同一班另一学生Charles Hermite, 也是个数学天才。他比Galois的命运好一点, 考进Ecole Polytechnique (X),是排最后一名及格, 好过Galois重考2年都进不了。可是他的脚有问题, X第一年学生是军官训练, 他被X踢出校门。讽刺的是, 很多年后他回校被聘为教授。

Charles Hermite 证明 e是超函数 (Transcendental), 他的学生德国人Lindermann如法炮制, 证明pi也是transcendental. 

Lindemann 从Hermite接过法国数学火种, 回去德国成为一代宗师, 培养了很多大师级的学生 (Félix Klein, Dirichlet, Jacobi, Gauss, …), 20世纪德国数学Gottingen University取代巴黎成为数学王国, 直至二战德国犹太数学家(Émile Noether, Artin, …)逃去美国, 才轮到Princeton University.

一位默默无名的中学/高中数学老师Richard, 百年树人, 改变了世界数学史!

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Giant VS Golem: Clash of Clans Math

My previous posts on Clash of Clans Math (on Mortar damage, and Gold mine) were fairly popular, so I have decided to write one more post! This shows that Math can be applied to almost everything, even games!

Giant VS Golem: Clash of Clans Math

Giant lvl7 Vs Golem5

Recently, players of COC will know that the Level 7 Giant has been released. For fans of the Giant (I am one of them), this is great news. The Giant is a cheap substitute for tanking vs the Golem, and can be used in many strategies for instance Giwipe (Golem, Wizard, Pekka), Garch (Giant archer), among many others.

In this post, I will use Math to concretely compare the Level 7 Giant and the Level 5 Golem. For fairness sake, we will compare 6 Giants with 1 Golem (since they take up 30 spaces). Sources are taken from http://clashofclans.wikia.com/.

Health

  • Level 5 Golem has 6300+2×1260=8820 HP (We have factored in the 2 golemites)
  • Six Level 7 Giants have 6×1100=6600 HP

Conclusion: Golem is around 30% better than Giants in term of HP.

Calculation: (8820-6600)/6600 x 100%=33.6%

For pure tanking, nothing beats a max level Golem.

Golemite 1 and 2 cut out photo of Golemite Ssfang

Damage per second

  • Max Golem has 54 Damage per second + a 550 damage upon death. (We have ignored Golemites damage since it is really negligible)
  • 6 Max Giants has 6×50=300 DPS

Conclusion: Giants are 450% better than Golems in terms of DPS!

This can be quite significant, for example, when using Giants in Giwipe, often one does not even need to use wallbreakers, since the giants can break through the walls on their own. This frees up more spaces for wizards/other troops.

NewGiantTroopInfoImage

Against Spring Traps

Spring Traps are the ultimate nemesis of Giants, since each Spring Trap can bounce 15 Housing spaces, or 3 Giants.

  • Golems are unaffected by Spring Traps. (1 Golemite can be bounced by each Spring trap though)
  • Each Spring Trap can bounce 3 Giants. Town hall 10 has 6 Spring Traps, potentially bouncing a whopping 18 Giants.

To avoid Spring Traps, place a few barbarians before sending out your giants. Hopefully the barbarians will activate (and waste) a few spring traps.

Conclusion: Golems are more resistant to Spring Traps.

Against Inferno Towers (Multi-mode)

  • A Level 3 Inferno Tower does just 42 DPS to a Golem
  • It does 42×6=252 DPS to 6 giants.

Conclusion: Superficially, it seems good that Golems take 80% less damage than giants from Multi-mode Infernos. However, a bit of thinking reveals that the inferno in multi-mode will be attacking your other troops (for example wizards) instead, together with the 1 Golem. Hence, in other words, Golems also tank 80% less damage than giants from Multi-mode Inferno towers.

Inferno3

Against Inferno Tower (Single Target)

This calculation gets a little complicated. The inferno (Level 3) has 36 DPS initially, then 140 DPS after 2 seconds, then a whopping 1400 DPS after 5 seconds.

  • To kill the initial Golem (6300 HP), the inferno tower needs to take around 9.1 seconds. The first two seconds will pump out 36×2=72 damage, next 3 seconds will pump out 140×3=420 damage, while the remaining 4.1 seconds will deal the bulk of 4.1×140=5740 damage.
  • To kill 1 single giant (1100 HP), the inferno tower needs around 5.5 seconds. (36×2+140×3+1400×0.5=1192) Hence to kill 6 giants, 5.5×6=33 seconds is needed.

Conclusion: Giants survive 260% longer than Golems under Inferno (Single Target) Fire!

Inferno3

Other last points to note are that everytime a giant dies, there is a switch of targets, potentially attacking weak but crucial units like wizards or witches. This is a downside of giants.

So, who do you think is better? Giants or Golems? Leave your comments below!


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Intellectual wealth

An interesting news to share:

Source:http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=21&art_id=152297&sid=43527569&con_type=1&d_str=20141212&fc=8

Billionaire Ronnie Chan rather be mathematician or scientist if he could live life over

Billionaire Ronnie Chan Chi-chung seems to have it all figured out. Were the Hang Lung Properties chairman to live his life over again, it would not be as a businessman — he’d be a mathematician or scientist instead.

Chan, who offered this little gem during a speech at the Hang Lung Mathematics Awards ceremony, said he may have more material wealth than famed mathematician Yau Shing-tung but much less intellectual wealth.

As co-founder of the awards, which were set to encourage secondary school students to pursue maths and sciences, Chan urged youngsters to go the extra mile and become mathematicians or scientists as they can contribute more to society than what a businessman can.

Read more at: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=21&art_id=152297&sid=43527569&con_type=1&d_str=20141212&fc=8

Hopefully this can encourage students currently studying Maths, be it O Level Maths, JC H1 or H2 Maths, or even University Maths!


Featured Book:

The Shape of Inner Space: String Theory and the Geometry of the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions

New Scientist
“It is a testimony to [Yau’s] careful prose (and no doubt to the skills of co-author Steve Nadis) that this book so compellingly captures the essence of what pushes string theorists forward in the face of formidable obstacles. It gives us a rare glimpse into a world as alien as the moons of Jupiter, and just as fascinating…. Yau and Nadis have produced a strangely mesmerizing account of geometry’s role in the universe.”

Nature
“Physicists investigate one cosmos, but mathematicians can explore all possible worlds. So marvels Fields medalist Shing-Tung Yau…. Relating how he solved a major theoretical problem in string theory in the 1970s, Yau explains how the geometries of the vibrating multidimensional strings that may characterize the Universe have implications across physics.”

Tuition News: Tuition for toddlers – necessary or over the top?

Tuition for toddlers – necessary or over the top?

Is tuition for toddlers necessary? Some food for thought.

As a tutor, I always try to value add and teach students something that is not taught in schools, for example tips or tricks in Math, or methods to check for careless mistakes.

Also certain key concepts may not be taught in school, even in elite schools. Many students, including students from the elite Nanyang Girls’ High School or ACS(I), have no idea initially that the discriminant b^2-4ac has something to do with the quadratic formula \displaystyle\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}. After my explanation though, they are enlightened, and finally can understand why b^2-4ac<0 means that the quadratic has no real roots! 🙂

A good tutor can help find out what the student does not know, and teach to fill in the gaps of knowledge. Without a tutor, often a student does not know what he/she does not know! (until the exam comes)

A Maths exam is not an IQ test! It is a test of knowledge and preparation, whoever is more prepared (whether through tuition or self-studying) will get more marks.

Tuition, in the right format and spirit, is actually something good. Aristotle, the philosopher, was a tutor to Alexander the Great, one of the greatest kings that ever lived.


Featured Books:

Recommended Books for GEP

mathtuition88's avatarTuition Database Singapore

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/what-is-buzzing/tuition-for-toddlers-%E2%80%93-necessary-or-over-the-top-053116125.html

File Photo of Children attending preschool/kindergarten AFP News/AFP File Photo – File Photo of Children attending preschool/kindergarten

As his tutor flashed one flashcard after another to him, little Gabriel Tan glanced longingly towards the door.

A sharp look from his mother put him back in focus, and he obediently repeated the words on the flashcards.

“Can I go to the playground now, mummy?” asked the little boy hopefully.

“No, you have to do your memory exercises next,” said his tutor, pre-empting the mother’s reply, and the boy’s face fell again.

Gabriel is only three years old, but he has been receiving hour-long tuition lessons three times a week after his nursery classes so that he can “keep up” when his mother finally enrolls him at the coveted primary school she is an alumnus of – Nanyang Primary.

“I don’t think he is very smart, so to make up for that, he has extra tuition…

View original post 52 more words

A Difficult Problem: Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet?

Watch this very inspirational video about learning.

When students encounter a difficult Math problem, there are two ways to approach it. Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet? The mindset the student adopts can make a huge difference in the learning effectiveness.

The key point is that there is great power of believing that you can improve. Adopting a growth mindset enables students to transcend their initial limitations and improve to a new level.


Featured Book:

Self-theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development (Essays in Social Psychology)

 

Mathematicians prove the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture

Source: Science Daily

Mathematicians prove the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture

Date: December 15, 2014

Source: Emory University

Summary: Monstrous moonshine, a quirky pattern of the monster group in theoretical math, has a shadow — umbral moonshine. Mathematicians have now proved this insight, known as the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture, offering a formula with potential applications for everything from number theory to geometry to quantum physics.

“We’ve transformed the statement of the conjecture into something you could test, a finite calculation, and the conjecture proved to be true,” says Ken Ono, a mathematician at Emory University. “Umbral moonshine has created a lot of excitement in the world of math and physics.”

Co-authors of the proof include mathematicians John Duncan from Case Western University and Michael Griffin, an Emory graduate student.

“Sometimes a result is so stunningly beautiful that your mind does get blown a little,” Duncan says. Duncan co-wrote the statement for the Umbral Moonshine Conjecture with Miranda Cheng, a mathematician and physicist at the University of Amsterdam, and Jeff Harvey, a physicist at the University of Chicago.

Ono will present their work on January 11, 2015 at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Antonio, the largest mathematics meeting in the world. Ono is delivering one of the highlighted invited addresses.

Read more at: Science Daily


Featured Book:

Moonshine beyond the Monster: The Bridge Connecting Algebra, Modular Forms and Physics (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)

Review

“An excellent introduction to this area for anyone who is looking for an informal survey… written in a lively and readable style.”
R.E. Boucherds, University of California at Berkeley for the Bulletin of the AMS

“It is written in a breezy, informal style which eschews the familiar Lemma-Theorem-Remark style in favor of a more relaxed and continuous narrative which allows a wide range of material to be included. Gannon has written an attractive and fun introduction to what is an attractive and fun area of research.”
Geoffrey Mason, Mathematical Reviews

“Gannon wants to explain to us “what is really going on.” His book is like a conversation at the blackboard, with ideas being explained in informal terms, proofs being sketched, and unknowns being explored. Given the complexity and breadth of this material, this is exactly the right approach. The result is informal, inviting, and fascinating.”
Fernando Q. Gouvea, MAA Reviews

What do Mathematicians Eat for Breakfast? (Surprising Answers!)

Are you curious what do Mathematicians eat for breakfast? 🙂


Featured Book:

The Math of Food (Integrating Math in the Real World Series)

How can math help you improve your diet?

Sharpens math skills from whole-number operations through basic algebra and geometry
Builds problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
Includes teacher notes, concepts and skills covered, relevant Internet sites, and more

Trisecting an Angle (Possible?) [Very Interesting Videos]

In O Level E Maths, we learn how to bisect an angle using compass and straightedge (ruler). However, is it possible to trisect an angle?

It turns out it is impossible! This took 2000 years to prove, and requires the use of a very difficult theory called Galois Theory.

Check out this interesting video on trisecting angles:

It turns out it is possible to trisect angles using Origami though:


Featured Book:

Galois’ Theory Of Algebraic Equations

Galois’ Theory of Algebraic Equations gives a detailed account of the development of the theory of algebraic equations, from its origins in ancient times to its completion by Galois in the nineteenth century. The main emphasis is placed on equations of at least the third degree, i.e. on the developments during the period from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. The appropriate parts of works by Cardano, Lagrange, Vandermonde, Gauss, Abel and Galois are reviewed and placed in their historical perspective, with the aim of conveying to the reader a sense of the way in which the theory of algebraic equations has evolved and has led to such basic mathematical notions as “group” and “field”. A brief discussion on the fundamental theorems of modern Galois theory is included. Complete proofs of the quoted results are provided, but the material has been organized in such a way that the most technical details can be skipped by readers who are interested primarily in a broad survey of the theory. This book will appeal to both undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics and the history of science, and also to teachers and mathematicians who wish to obtain a historical perspective of the field. The text has been designed to be self-contained, but some familiarity with basic mathematical structures and with some elementary notions of linear algebra is desirable for a good understanding of the technical discussions in the later chapters.

Liu Hong (Ancient Chinese Mathematician)

Source: Baidu Encyclopedia (Liu Hong)

刘洪(约公元130~210),字元卓,东汉泰山郡蒙阴县(今山东省临沂市蒙阴县)人,东汉鲁王刘兴后裔,我国古代杰出的天文学家和数学家,珠算发明者,被后世尊为“算圣”。

Liu Hong (Year 130~210) was an ancient Chinese Mathematician who studied astronomy and mathematics. He was the inventor of the art of abacus arithmetic, and hence was given the title of “Sage of Arithmetic”.

liu hong

Recently, I was fortunate to visit a statue of Liu Hong at his birthplace (modern day Linyi).

liu hong

(Me beside statue of Liu Hong at Linyi People’s Square, Shandong)


Featured Book:

How To Use A Chinese Abacus: A step-by-step guide to addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, roots and more.

This book will teach you step-by-step how to perform addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, square roots and cube roots on a Chinese abacus. It also explains the ancient ‘extra bead’ method and the ‘suspended bead’ method. Great for both children and adults. Clearly explained with text and pictures throughout every stage of your calculation.

Discriminant of Quadratic Polynomial Olympiad Question

The discriminant of a quadratic polynomial (b^2-4ac) is a source of confusion for many students taking O Level A Maths. After explaining, students usually will understand the concept, but it remains really tricky. It is a really useful concept, and can be used here in this Math Olympiad Question:

Question: bilkent nov question

Solution: http://www.fen.bilkent.edu.tr/~cvmath/Problem/1411a.pdf

 

One of the above people who answered correctly, Toshihiro Shimizu, is an IMO Gold Medalist from Japan.


Featured Book:

Mathematical Olympiad Challenges

Highly Rated on Amazon!

Hundreds of beautiful, challenging, and instructive problems from algebra, geometry, trigonometry, combinatorics, and number theory

Historical insights and asides are presented to stimulate further inquiry

Emphasis is on creative solutions to open-ended problems

 

Walnut Math

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

A friend from China gave us a bag of walnuts plucked from their home-grown walnut tree. I decide to count them by applying math:

A stack of walnuts piled in a pyramid, with base layer 6×6 walnuts, above layers 5×5, 4×4, 3×3, 2x 2, and finally top 1 (1×1).

How many walnuts are there in total ? (Answer: 91)

This is simple math but only taught in A-level (with proof by induction).

image

Hint: Watch free Khan Academy Math lecture to learn more ….

$latex displaystyle boxed {
sum_{1}^{n} k^2 =frac { n (n+1)(2n+1)} {6}
}$

This is a 400-year-old walnut tree: walnut is called “Wise fruit 聪明果”, it looks like human brain, also has proven nutritious benefits to brain.

image

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Coursera Course Review: An Introduction to Functional Analysis

Recently, I completed an excellent Coursera Course: An Introduction to Functional
Analysis, offered by École Centrale Paris.

Although challenging, it was a fun and interesting course, thanks to the effort by Professors John Cagnol and Anna Rozanova-Pierrat. Functional Analysis is a pretty difficult topic, and it was great to have two good professors explain it.

This course is actually more suitable for students who have some mathematical background, especially in mathematical analysis. New students may find it too hard to follow it from scratch. It is excellent as a review course for students who have taken functional analysis a few years ago but have forgotten some of it.


Featured Book:

Introductory Functional Analysis with Applications

Stop Teaching Calculating, Start Learning Maths!

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

Conrad Wolfram provoked the new idea of Computer-Based Math education:

Teach the ‘Why’ of Maths, leave the ‘How’ to the computer.

How: solve quadratic equation, simultaneous equations, differentiation, integration….

He mentioned Singapore is interested in this new approach of teaching Math ? The O & A Level students can now use scientific calculator in Exams.

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Stephen Wolfram: Computing a theory of everything

tomcircle's avatarMath Online Tom Circle

Stephen Wolfram: Founder & CEO of Mathematica (UK)

Wolfram Alpha: Knowledge-base Computing using public data on the net and private information.

Mathematica: Math tool using Symbolic Functional Language (LISP)

New Kind of Science: Cell Automata

Physics: From Computing World to find new Physical World

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