Qiaochu Yuan

Berkeley, CA

http://math.berkeley.edu/~qchu/

I am a graduate student at UC Berkeley.

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Intuition for the definition of the Gamma function?

probability-theory special-functions intuition gamma-function asked Aug 27, 2010 at 5:01

math.stackexchange.com

204 votes

What are your favorite instructional counterexamples?

soft-question big-list examples mathematics-education asked Mar 2, 2010 at 5:57

mathoverflow.net

184 votes

How do I make the conceptual transition from multivariable calculus to differential forms?

dg.differential-geometry ca.analysis-and-odes smooth-manifolds intuition asked Jan 3, 2010 at 10:11

mathoverflow.net

167 votes

What properties of busy beaver numbers are computable?

computability asked Jan 6, 2013 at 23:58

math.stackexchange.com

151 votes

Extremely messy proofs

big-list ho.history-overview asked Oct 27, 2010 at 16:01

mathoverflow.net

147 votes

Where does a math person go to learn quantum mechanics?

mp.mathematical-physics big-list quantum-mechanics books asked Oct 27, 2009 at 22:29

mathoverflow.net

107 votes

What do heat kernels have to do with the Riemann-Roch theorem and the Gauss-Bonnet theorem?

ag.algebraic-geometry dg.differential-geometry ap.analysis-of-pdes manifolds index-theory asked Feb 8, 2010 at 23:54

mathoverflow.net

105 votes

What is (co)homology, and how does a beginner gain intuition about it?

homology cohomology intuition asked Oct 15, 2009 at 19:49

mathoverflow.net

95 votes

Why is it a good idea to study a ring by studying its modules?

soft-question ra.rings-and-algebras big-picture asked Nov 12, 2009 at 19:55

mathoverflow.net

79 votes

Is there a high-concept explanation for why characteristic 2 is special?

nt.number-theory big-picture characteristic-p asked Oct 17, 2009 at 18:55

mathoverflow.net

Top Answers

606

Does $\pi$ contain all possible number combinations?

math.stackexchange.com

553

Mathematical difference between white and black notes in a piano

math.stackexchange.com

295

V.I. Arnold says Russian students can't solve this problem, but American students can -- why?

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278

Examples of common false beliefs in mathematics

mathoverflow.net

223

What should be the intuition when working with compactness?

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213

Prove that $C e^x$ is the only set of functions for which $f(x) = f'(x)$

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195

Most harmful heuristic?

mathoverflow.net

194

Is infinity a number?

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174

What are the most misleading alternate definitions in taught mathematics?

mathoverflow.net

168

How many sides does a circle have?

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166

Is it possible to represent every huge number in abbreviated form?

math.stackexchange.com

157

Do good math jokes exist?

mathoverflow.net

150

Why is integration so much harder than differentiation?

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133

What is entropy, really?

mathoverflow.net

131

Given an infinite number of monkeys and an infinite amount of time, would one of them write Hamlet?

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131

How do you describe your mathematical research in layman's terms?

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121

What are the most misleading alternate definitions in taught mathematics?

mathoverflow.net

121

Intuition behind conjugation in group theory

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115

Could I be using proof by contradiction too much?

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115

How is a system of axioms different from a system of beliefs?

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114

What are your favorite instructional counterexamples?

mathoverflow.net

114

What is the Riemann-Zeta function?

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114

A challenge by R. P. Feynman: give counter-intuitive theorems that can be translated into everyday language

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113

What is the Jacobian matrix?

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111

Why are differentiable complex functions infinitely differentiable?

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110

What is the practical difference between a differential and a derivative?

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104

Why Zariski topology?

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104

Why is a circle in a plane surrounded by 6 other circles?

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103

What do prime ideals in $k[x,y]$ look like?

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102

Different ways to prove $\sum_{k=1}^\infty \frac{1}{k^2}=\frac{\pi^2}{6}$ (the Basel problem)

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