The hottest Math Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Advanced Math for Kids: Geometry and Algebra Are Secretly the Same

Kids Who Love Math • 83 implied HN points • 24 Mar 26
🚌 Education Math
  1. Algebra can describe geometry: coordinates give points, equations like y = x make lines, and formulas like x^2 + y^2 = 25 make circles.
  2. Geometry and algebra are two languages for the same ideas, so switching between pictures and equations helps you understand and solve problems in physics, graphics, and engineering.
  3. A simple hands-on way to see this is to plug numbers into equations and plot the points so kids can watch shapes like parabolas and circles appear and build intuition.

Top Links 1022 NY public school maths. Unhistorical economics. Comprehension debt & Magic Flute.

Chartbook • 443 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26
🚌 Education Math
  1. New York’s public school math scores are very low, showing many students are struggling with basic math.
  2. The phrase 'unhistorical economics' criticizes approaches that ignore historical context, warning this can lead to flawed economic analysis.
  3. 'Comprehension debt' refers to accumulating gaps in understanding that make future learning harder, and references like The Magic Flute are used to show how cultural knowledge and comprehension interact.

Putting the "M" in STEM

The Bell Ringer • 239 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🚌 Education Math
  1. Math is really important in STEM fields, but schools need to focus more on improving math skills. We need better math education to succeed in science and technology.
  2. Many people talk a lot about STEM, but they often overlook how crucial math is to it. If we want to see progress, math achievement needs to be a priority in education.
  3. To get students excited about STEM, we should encourage a strong foundation in math from an early age. This can help build confidence and interest in science and technology careers.
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Understanding Goodhart's Law [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 179 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Math
  1. Goodhart's Law warns that when a measure becomes a target, it can lose its effectiveness as a measure.
  2. The law often unfolds due to complications in real-world systems, human adaptability, and evolutionary pressures.
  3. To address Goodhart's Law, consider using multiple metrics, tying metrics to ultimate goals, and being prepared to adapt metrics as needed.

We do Math because it's hard

Kids Who Love Math • 335 implied HN points • 21 Dec 24
🚌 Education Math
  1. Math can be really hard to learn for everyone, at any age. It's normal for students to find math difficult as they progress in their education.
  2. Choosing challenges like math for kids can help them build perseverance. It's often easier to support their learning in a comfortable environment like home.
  3. It's important for kids to enjoy the challenge they're taking on. If they like math, they're more likely to stick with it and succeed.

Should You Pre-teach New Vocabulary?

Mathworlds • 216 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. For effective teaching, teachers and students need a shared set of experiences to talk about before introducing new vocabulary.
  2. Use 'contrasting cases' like 'Which one doesn't belong?' to surface older knowledge and make connections to new vocabulary.
  3. Provide opportunities for students to experience the need for new vocabulary in activities like Polygraph to enhance understanding.

Making Math

SCIENCE GODDESS • 98 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Math
  1. Crochet Coral Reef project combines art, craft, and STEM to engage people in science communication
  2. Bias against material play and embodied cognition can hinder funding for alternative STEM engagement methods
  3. Using hands-on activities like crocheting can help make math and science more accessible and engaging for a wider audience

Law of Large Numbers and the Gamblers Fallacy[Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 179 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. The Law of Large Numbers states that as the number of trials increase, the average of results will get closer to the expected value.
  2. This law is crucial in scientific fields, allowing predictions on chaotic events, leading to industries like gambling and insurance.
  3. Misunderstanding the Law of Large Numbers can lead to the Gambler's Fallacy, as it deals with the convergence of infinitely many experiments, not individual ones.

How Researchers found Gods Number[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 139 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
🔬 Science Math
  1. God's Algorithm aims for the fewest moves possible in combinatorial games like Rubik's Cube.
  2. Researchers found God's Number for Rubik's Cube using techniques like partitioning, symmetry, and dropping optimality.
  3. Key strategies used were dividing the problem into smaller parts, leveraging symmetry to reduce work, and focusing on finding solutions within 20 moves instead of the best possible solution.

Understanding Software Idempotency [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 119 implied HN points • 11 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Math
  1. Idempotency ensures the same output regardless of how many times an operation is executed, providing data consistency and preventing duplicate operations.
  2. Idempotency is crucial for resilience, scalability, performance, simplicity, and provability in software systems.
  3. Implementing idempotency involves using unique identifiers, versioning, transaction management, and leveraging HTTP methods, offering benefits like better error handling and faster response times.

An intro to the Normal Distribution [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 159 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. The Normal Distribution is a probability distribution used to model real-world data, with a bell-shaped curve and key points located at the center.
  2. The Normal Distribution is essential as it is commonly used in various fields to model real-world phenomena, calculate probabilities, and make informed decisions in software development.
  3. Understanding and using the Normal Distribution in software can help in making approximations for performance, making the right sacrifices, and optimizing solutions based on real-world data.

GM Shaders Mini: Phi

GM Shaders Mini Tuts • 117 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Math
  1. Phi is a mathematical constant used for distributions and design.
  2. Phi is considered the "most irrational number" and has various practical uses.
  3. Understanding Phi can optimize shader computations and distribution techniques.

A reading list of older articles to get you started

Technology Made Simple • 199 implied HN points • 04 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Math
  1. The newsletter offers curated reading lists of older articles to help readers get started in understanding important concepts in Math and Computer Science, as well as tips for becoming a next-level tech professional.
  2. Technique Tuesdays focus on tricks and techniques to solve challenging problems, such as improving code comments and creating good documentation.
  3. Finance Fridays delve into the tech industry's financial aspects, covering topics like tech business models, personal finance tips, and how news from the tech industry affects your finances.

Spiral Sudoku

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 60 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🚌 Education Math
  1. Spiral Sudoku is a type of puzzle that involves filling a grid in a spiral pattern with numbers. The challenge is to ensure that every row and column has the numbers 1 to 5 without repetition.
  2. The grid is designed with specific circled positions that guide where the numbers should be placed. Understanding these positions is key to solving the puzzle successfully.
  3. This puzzle not only tests your problem-solving skills but also makes math fun and engaging. It's a great way to practice logic and critical thinking.

🧮 The Best PreK-12th Grade Math Curriculum

joinmodulo • 117 implied HN points • 25 Mar 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. Choosing a math program is a personal decision based on the child's learning preferences and parent's teaching style.
  2. Different children prefer different learning methods like digital apps or hands-on materials.
  3. There are diverse math curricula available to cater to every learner's needs, including game-based apps and nature-based materials.

The Pigeonhole Principle [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 99 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. The Pigeonhole Principle states that if you have more items than containers, at least one container must hold more than one item.
  2. In software engineering, the principle ensures the correctness and efficiency of algorithms, especially in large-scale system design.
  3. The Pigeonhole Principle can also be used to prove non-existence, such as showing the impossibility of a universal lossless compression algorithm.

Links for 2024-01-08

Axis of Ordinary • 39 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Math
  1. AI can learn to make coffee by watching humans.
  2. Monte Carlo Simulation offers a simple solution to hard problems in math.
  3. Big Five dimensions are not universally identified in different populations for psychology research.

I Finally Listened to You and I’m So Glad I Did

The Palindrome • 3 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
🚌 Education Math
  1. A YouTube channel now hosts video versions of fan-favorite educational posts, with three "greatest hits" videos already uploaded.
  2. Subscribing is a quick, zero-cost way to support growth and help the channel reach more machine learning practitioners.
  3. The project aims to teach the fundamentals of math and machine learning clearly and steadily, avoiding hype and short-lived trends, with big plans for 2026.

Randomness- A billion dollar problem in Software Engineering [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 22 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Math
  1. Randomness in software engineering introduces unpredictability and can be used for various reasons like generating different outputs and introducing randomness into systems.
  2. Careful consideration is needed when using randomness in software engineering to avoid security risks and unnecessary complexity.
  3. To test the randomness of a system, consider using Diehard tests, which are intuitive and effective in evaluating randomness.

Solving f'(x)= f^(-1)(x) [the inverse of f(x)] [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 17 Jan 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. Solving f'(x)= f^(-1)(x) is a powerful technique in problem solving used in Math and Software.
  2. Math and coding share similar neural pathways, making a Math background beneficial for coding.
  3. When solving problems, start with a warm-up, rely on pattern matching, attack problems from multiple angles, and remember that complex solutions can have simple building blocks.

Why you should analyze the distribution of your Data [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Math
  1. Analyzing the distribution of your data is crucial for accurate analysis results, helps in choosing the right statistical tests, identifying outliers, and confirming data collection systems.
  2. Common techniques to analyze data distribution include histograms, boxplots, quantile-quantile plots, descriptive statistics, and statistical tests like Shapiro-Wilk or Kolmogorov-Smirnov.
  3. Common mistakes in analyzing data distribution include ignoring or dropping outliers, using the wrong statistical test, and not visualizing data to identify patterns and trends.

How to Invent Math[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 25 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Math
  1. Understand the problem you're dealing with before inventing your own math.
  2. Basic operations like division, multiplication, addition, and subtraction are key for creating new metrics.
  3. Consider existing metrics but be ready to modify or create new ones to better suit your specific needs.

Announcing Mailbox Mondays

Kids Who Love Math • 167 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🚌 Education Math
  1. Sebastian Gutierrez is starting Mailbox Mondays where he will answer reader questions in a post every Monday.
  2. Readers can send in questions via email, and Sebastian will share the answers anonymously in the post.
  3. Responses to the original question will also be sent via email to the reader.

Links for 2024-02-11

Axis of Ordinary • 19 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Math
  1. Researchers achieve quick drone flight with fast simulations on a laptop and share the code publicly.
  2. New study surpasses previous methods in long-context video understanding, even with fewer parameters.
  3. Introduction of PHATGOOSE model for recycling PEFT modules to enhance zero-shot generalization.

Understanding and Describing Groups with Averages

SaaS Engineering • 39 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. Averages like mean, median, and mode help us summarize and understand groups of data.
  2. Using the correct type of average is important to accurately represent the data, like using median for ranking or mode for most common occurrences.
  3. In scenarios like evaluating investment portfolios, understanding the median progress and how it relates to the future mean outcome is crucial for decision-making.

[Solution]Problem 70: Pow(x,n) [Amazon]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 23 Dec 22
🕹 Technology Math
  1. The post discusses a solution to Problem 70, which involves calculating a number raised to a power using math, logic, optimization, and recursion.
  2. The problem statement requires implementing a function that calculates x raised to the power n, with specific input-output examples provided.
  3. Constraints for the problem include specific ranges for x and n, highlighting the importance of handling edge cases in the solution.

[Solution]Problem 56:Climbing Stairs[Amazon]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 16 Sep 22
🕹 Technology Math
  1. The post discusses a solution for the climbing stairs problem with dynamic programming, logic, recursion, and math.
  2. The problem involves finding the number of distinct ways to climb to the top of a staircase by either taking 1 or 2 steps at a time.
  3. The post provides examples and constraints for the problem, along with a link to test the solution on Leetcode.

Math is a Language. This is how you should learn it. [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 99 implied HN points • 14 Jun 22
🚌 Education Math
  1. Math is a language that helps express complex ideas in quantifiable ways, and understanding it is crucial for technical careers like AI and Engineering.
  2. Many people struggle with Math because they try to learn topics without understanding the context around them, similar to trying to learn a language without knowing any words or sentence structures.
  3. Learning Math effectively involves treating it like learning a language, starting with simple 'sentences' for specific situations, practicing, and gradually branching out to more complex ideas.

Proof By Contradiction [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🚌 Education Math
  1. Proof by contradiction is a powerful proof technique where you assume the opposite to be true and derive a contradiction, leading to the original statement being true.
  2. Skills needed for Proof by Contradiction, like defining the problem statement clearly and building logical inferences, align well with problem-solving in Leetcode and software engineering.
  3. To learn Proof by Contradiction effectively, focus on topics like Sets, Probability, Theoretical Computer Science, and Graph Theory for practical application.

Best YouTube Channels to learn about Graph Theory for Software Engineering for free[Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 10 Oct 22
🚌 Education Math
  1. Focus on using a mix of channels to become an expert in Graph Theory for Software Engineering. Channels vary in their emphasis on math, coding, and computer science.
  2. Utilize the recommended channels like Wrath of Math, David Amos, Trev Tutor, and FreeCodeCamp to sharpen your understanding of Graph Theory.
  3. Engage with the content from different channels to build strong theoretical foundations and improve your performance in coding interviews.

The Infinte Hotel Paradox [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 27 Sep 22
🚌 Education Math
  1. The Infinite Hotel Paradox, created by mathematician David Hilbert, shows the mind-bending concept of infinity in a fun brain teaser.
  2. Solving paradoxes like this can improve problem-solving skills, similar to working on coding problems.
  3. The paradox involves scenarios like trying to accommodate an infinite number of guests in an infinitely occupied hotel, posing challenging questions.