Comments on: Summer Vertigo

By: rjw

rjw — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 08:44:16 +0000

There are plenty of good linear algebra texts out there.

As an undergraduate (in economics) I used Gilbert Strang’s book, which is very readable. Incidentally, he has an on-line series of video lectures on the MIT website that you can watch from your PC.

If you like visualising LA, thinking about what the equations look like in space, then there is an interesting book called ‘linear algebra through geometry’ which looks excellent. It starts in 2 -D and moves up. I’ve only flicked through my copy, but it looks very nice.

By: Brad DeLong

Brad DeLong — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 05:37:59 +0000

Re: “what I really need is a way to upload substantial parts of the brains of, say, Brad DeLong and Cosma Shalizi into my own.”

Sounds really painful for all concerned. From a utilitarian perspective, I’d have to say “No.”

By: Danny Hidalgo

Danny Hidalgo — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 17:04:18 +0000

Any suggestions on a lin algebra textbook, preferebly one with lots of problems (and the answers!!)? I’m a poli sci grad student trying to learn matrix algebra on my own and your comments aren’t too encouraging. Boy I regret not taking more math as an undergrad…

By: Jacob T. Levy

Jacob T. Levy — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 15:27:43 +0000

sigh.

A depressingly accurate typology that’s forcing me to rethink the shape of my summer (indeed, my tenure-folder-is-in-and-the-intellectual-world-is-my-oyster summer) to-do list.

By: Bill Gardner

Bill Gardner — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:55:18 +0000

It’s doing the problem sets (over and over) that makes you learn it, and this is what you’re least likely to do if you’re trying the self-teaching route. I should probably just take a lower-division undergraduate course from the Math department.

Right.

And maybe do it now? It gets very hard to justify these kinds of investments when you are 50+…

By: Kieran Healy

Kieran Healy — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:42:57 +0000

forgetting that the way that you actually learnt long division

You’re exactly right. It’s doing the problem sets (over and over) that makes you learn it, and this is what you’re least likely to do if you’re trying the self-teaching route. I should probably just take a lower-division undergraduate course from the Math department.

By: Bill Gardner

Bill Gardner — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:11:23 +0000

Do the linear algebra. Practical stuff: brews coffee, fixes cars, and is 99% of the math a social scientist ever needs.

By: dsquared

dsquared — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:09:36 +0000

The trouble is that whenever one sets out on a project like mastering linear algebra, you want it to be as easy and straightforward as long division, forgetting that the way that you actually learnt long division was to spend two years of your life doing problem sets for three hours a day while being beaten.

By: smartass

smartass — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 13:20:12 +0000

I have to figure out a way to spend less time researching and more time publishing articles. Any advice?

I’m sure any such way starts with not reading blogs like this…

By: Kieran Healy

Kieran Healy — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 13:13:12 +0000

there is an easy way and a hard way to learn linear algebra and the easy way doesn’t work.

Yeah, I know. I already tried the easy way.

By: dsquared

dsquared — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 13:04:11 +0000

I think Kieran wants to learn Bayesian econometrics rather than Bayesian statistics, which does require one to be able to chuck around a bit of LA. I can only pass on my tip; there is an easy way and a hard way to learn linear algebra and the easy way doesn’t work.

By: tina

tina — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 12:48:10 +0000

I have to figure out a way to spend less time researching and more time publishing articles. Any advice?

By: Maria

Maria — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 12:18:13 +0000

My projects are all dull mba related ones that will stop me from reading any interesting books: 1)learn how to use Excel, 2)re-take decision sciences exam as failed miserably first time round – learning excel may help with this, 3)read text book on finance to try and avoid failing finance exams next year.

And they say education broadens the mind.

By: Eszter

Eszter — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 12:15:14 +0000

My unmanageably ambitious summer project is to stop having unmanageably ambitious summer projects.

By: rjw

rjw — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 11:25:57 +0000

This post jolted me. I speak French, spend too much time thinking about eigenvalues, and have an interest in Sraffa and Neo-Ricardian economics. I think I’m going to check into a clinic.