I'm quitting YA. Why don't you do the same and go back reading some good book?

Question

Ok, this is not really a question. I had to put the interrogative line so as to fulfill the pestering question mark which displays automatically at the end.

I had some good times here in YA mathematics, but now I finally feel what it really is: an out-of-school club for whining K12 kids massively poor at arithmetic, willing to have their trivial homeworks done without even the self-pride of trying by themselves. In this environment, only the quantity of answers counts. No real interest in the charm of a proof (and by the way, the point system is obviously too shallow to adequately represent one's efforts towards the beauty).

I'll get back to my cave keeping the fire of curiosity alive. I took from the library "a concise introduction to the theory of numbers" by Alan Baker. May I suggest you all take a good book and read it, to heck with YA!

Thank you for your attention at my long and uncalled-for rant. Goodbye and good luck with your studies.

Answer 1

I tried to quit but I go through withdrawal symptoms....try answering questionos about everyday stuff you'll get more enjoyment out of it, like "why do cars have a brake light in the window?" Hey that 's a good question -- I think I will use 5 points to ask it.

Enjoy the book it sounds like a page turner!

Answer 2

There are a lot of people trying to get their homework done for them here.
There are also some people asking questions that make my teacher's exhortation "There are no dumb questions." seem doubtful.
There are people asking questions that only they can answer.
And there are people asking questions that they would honestly like an answer for.
I like answering some of the questions. They challenge me and help to improve my ability to answer questions concisely and clearly. I can practice my communication skills. Have you ever tried to explain how a gumball machine works?
Sure it is not the same s reading a book (I am currently reading "Red Dragon") You might look into "The History of Pi" for an interesting math read. I quite enjoyed it.
Of course I spend considerable time outside the Yahoo Mathematics are. There are more interesting questions that I can answer in the engineering section.
You go ahead and enjoy your cave and book. But when the lights go out, maybe I'll be answering someones question about how to get a generator running.

Answer 3

Hi, Principal bundles:
Well-said about our mathematics group.
I would like to see it divided into 2 groups:
Basic math--for the K-12 set and the 2+2 type
questions
and
Advanced math--say for calculus and up for
those of us who enjoy more advanced topics.
I hope you enjoy Baker's book. You may find
the exposition rather terse, however.
I think you would really enjoy
"Introduction to number theory" by Harold M.
Stark. It has some fascinating stuff about
approximations to irrational algebraic numbers
which I'm still working on after many years.
BTW I have met both Baker and Stark in
my career. Both fascinating people!

Answer 4

I agree with you, but there are exceptions. Take a look at the 2 questions I posted today. I'm REALLY interested in the proofs and their beauty, would like to see if there are other proofs different from those I could come up with. Also, take a look at my starred questions. They are interesting, I'm a bit frustrated that in some of them mine has been the only answer so far. And you answered some interesting questions here.

Answer 5

It would really be sad to see you leave... I joined JA with a faint hope of having correspondence with knowlegable people in mathematics. Previously I held JA in very low esteem, but I see that through this medium I could get feedback on questions in advance topics that interest me.

You don't have to answer questions that do not interest you. But I really hope you will stay. ...Or at least, that we could keep in contact.

To that matter, I think I have an interesting proof... It is a bitt difficult to post here, but I'll try.

Answer 6

Just in case you look back to see if anyone answered:

I know exactly how you feel. I keep thinking I will give up, but it's like these damn nacho chips.

I find it entertaining, though, and sometimes those dumbsquat answers can be very funny if you have the right attitude. So I have decided to go for 10,000 points, just for the halibut.

Most importantly, though, after a long and complicated technical career, I am teaching adult basic education at a community college, and I find Y!A helps me stay prepared for what happens in the classroom and for the shocks of how ill-informed and confused the average person is.

So there is a professional interest involved. But actually I agree the wisest thing would be to sterilize all but the most intelligent five percent of the world's population.

Answer 7

Stay and Play,
Were going to miss you
Were all friends here at Yahoo Answer,
ok, ( some are back stabbing friends)
but friends none the less.

Answer 8

Dude, you are only a level two you have to clime all the way to the top, or your just as bad a kids that give up! Stay in the game

Answer 9

You can always answer questions in other categories.
I agree with you about alot of the questions in the Math section.

Answer 10

I'm not quitting cause this thing has helped me out =o
And I think I've helped outers out.