Brooklyn Learning Studio

Andrew Wiles, famous mathematician, proved a theorem daunting mathematicians for centuries. Here's how he advises to proceed when you get stuck on a problem: "... you have to stop, let your mind relax a bit and then come back to it. Somehow your subconscious is making connections and you start again, maybe the next afternoon, the next day, the next week even and sometimes it just comes back. Sometimes I put something down for a few months, I come back and it's obvious. I can'...t explain why. But you have to have the faith..." Read the entire (short, joyous) interview here: https://plus.maths.org//andrew-wiles-what-does-if-feel-do-

Now what you have to handle when you start doing mathematics as an older child or as an adult is accepting this state of being stuck. People don't get used to that. Some people find this very stressful. Even people who are very good at mathematics sometimes find this hard to get used to and they feel that's where they're failing. But it isn't: it's part of the process and you have to accept [and] learn to enjoy that process. Yes, you don't understand [something at the moment] but you have faith that over time you will understand you have to go through this. https://plus.maths.org//andrew-wiles-what-does-if-feel-do-

Amazing Brooklyn eighth graders--the future suddenly looks BRIGHT https://www.facebook.com/rachel.rear/posts/10154598579619402