QuotesQuotes

Some words of wisdomSome words of wisdom

D.L. HughleyD.L. Hughley

Pressure: Pressure:

It can burst a pipeIt can burst a pipe

or create a diamondor create a diamond.  . 

Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli

The greatest good you can do for [students] The greatest good you can do for [students] is not just to share your riches but to is not just to share your riches but to

reveal to [them their] own.reveal to [them their] own.

United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy Department of Mathematics sloganDepartment of Mathematics slogan

Students learn mathematics Students learn mathematics

by doing mathematics.by doing mathematics.

Paul R. HalmosPaul R. Halmos, , Hilbert Space Problem BookHilbert Space Problem Book

The only way to learn mathematics The only way to learn mathematics

is to do mathematics.is to do mathematics.

Charles Vanden EyndenCharles Vanden Eynden, , Elementary Number TheoryElementary Number Theory

It is not sufficient for the writer to believe it;It is not sufficient for the writer to believe it;

enough details must be given so that the enough details must be given so that the reader will also understand and believe. reader will also understand and believe.

The burden of making oneself understood The burden of making oneself understood rests with the writer.rests with the writer.

John Wooden John Wooden

Do not let what you cannot doDo not let what you cannot do

interfere with what you can do.interfere with what you can do.

Jeff Lewis Jeff Lewis (1995) (1995)

Mathematics is a lot like eating a steak;Mathematics is a lot like eating a steak;

you've got to cut it into little piecesyou've got to cut it into little pieces

or you'll choke. or you'll choke. 

Rev. Jesse Jackson Rev. Jesse Jackson on the television show on the television show

"A Different World""A Different World"

It is not my aptitude It is not my aptitude

but my attitude but my attitude

that determines my altitude. that determines my altitude. 

Vince LombardiVince Lombardi

Practice does not make perfect. Practice does not make perfect.

Perfect practice makes perfect!Perfect practice makes perfect!

Alan KulwickiAlan Kulwicki1992 NASCAR Champion 1992 NASCAR Champion

Luck is Luck is

where opportunity where opportunity

meets preparedness.meets preparedness.

H.S. WallH.S. Wall (1902-1971) (1902-1971)

The mathematician is an artist The mathematician is an artist

whose medium is the mind whose medium is the mind

and and

whose creations are ideas.whose creations are ideas.

   

Jeff LewisJeff Lewis (2002) (2002)

An idea is only a thought An idea is only a thought

until it is communicated.until it is communicated.

H.S. WallH.S. Wall (1902-1971) (1902-1971)

[M]athematics is an art– [M]athematics is an art–

the purest form of art, in which the mind is the purest form of art, in which the mind is the instrument of expression. the instrument of expression. 

This is the art which takes chaos and builds This is the art which takes chaos and builds from it a magnificent structure of order and from it a magnificent structure of order and reason.reason.

Ward BurtonWard Burton 2002 Daytona 500 Champion 2002 Daytona 500 Champion

You've got to drive beyond You've got to drive beyond

the hood of your car.the hood of your car.

Michael WaltripMichael Waltrip 2001 & 2003 Daytona 500 2001 & 2003 Daytona 500

Champion Champion

By the time people panic, By the time people panic,

it's usually too late to panic.it's usually too late to panic.

Bruce LeeBruce Lee(1940-1973) (1940-1973)

I cannot teach you. I cannot teach you.

I can help you to explore I can help you to explore

and nothing more.and nothing more.

unknownunknown

Give a man a fish Give a man a fish

and you feed him for a day. and you feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish Teach a man to fish

and you feed him for a lifetime.and you feed him for a lifetime.

Vince LombardiVince Lombardi

We are in pursuit of perfection. We are in pursuit of perfection.

We will not catch it; We will not catch it;

only God is perfect. only God is perfect.

But, in our pursuit, But, in our pursuit,

we shall achieve excellence.we shall achieve excellence.

John TatschlJohn Tatschl

If you haven't got time to be a student, If you haven't got time to be a student,

then don't be a student.then don't be a student.

Thomas Alva EdisonThomas Alva Edison

There is no substitute for hard work.There is no substitute for hard work.

W. Somerset MaughamW. Somerset Maugham

It is a great nuisance It is a great nuisance

that knowledge can only be attained that knowledge can only be attained

by hard work.by hard work.

John DeweyJohn Dewey

Failure is instructive. Failure is instructive.

The person who really thinks The person who really thinks

learns quite as much from his failures learns quite as much from his failures

as from his successes.as from his successes.

Bishop Richard CumberlandBishop Richard Cumberland

It is better to wear out than to rust out.It is better to wear out than to rust out.

Joe PiscopoJoe Piscopo

The nerds are running the world now.The nerds are running the world now.

UnknownUnknown (common weight room statement) (common weight room statement)

No pain, no gain.No pain, no gain.

VirgilVirgil

Happy is the man Happy is the man

who can understand why things happen.who can understand why things happen.

Merle L. MeachamMerle L. Meacham

In a few minutes, In a few minutes,

a computer can make a mistake so greata computer can make a mistake so great

that it takes many men months to equal it.that it takes many men months to equal it.

Frederick DouglasFrederick Douglas

If there's no struggle, If there's no struggle,

there's no progress.there's no progress.

Joseph WhitneyJoseph Whitney

[I]ntelligence is proved [I]ntelligence is proved

not by ease of learning, not by ease of learning,

but by understanding what we learn.but by understanding what we learn.

G.C. LichtenbergG.C. Lichtenberg

What you have been obliged to discover by What you have been obliged to discover by yourself leaves a path in your mind which yourself leaves a path in your mind which you can use again when the need arises.you can use again when the need arises.

Isaac DworetskyIsaac Dworetsky

The good Lord made us with two ends– The good Lord made us with two ends–

one to sit on one to sit on

and one to think with. and one to think with.

How well you succeed in life How well you succeed in life

depends on which one you use.depends on which one you use.

Herbert V. ProchnowHerbert V. Prochnow

If you don't learn from your mistakes, If you don't learn from your mistakes,

there's no sense making them.there's no sense making them.

Yogi BerraYogi Berra

You can see a lot You can see a lot

just by looking.just by looking.

Paul ErdösPaul Erdös

A mathematician is a machine A mathematician is a machine

for turning coffee into theorems.for turning coffee into theorems.

Benjamin DisraeliBenjamin Disraeli

Seeing much, Seeing much,

suffering much, suffering much,

and studying much and studying much

are the three pillars of learning.are the three pillars of learning.

Wayne Gretsky Wayne Gretsky

I skate to where the puck is going to be, I skate to where the puck is going to be,

not where it has been.not where it has been.

William Allan Neilson William Allan Neilson

Not one student in a thousand Not one student in a thousand

breaks down from overwork.breaks down from overwork.

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw

When I was young When I was young

I observed that I observed that

nine out of every ten things I did nine out of every ten things I did

were failures, were failures,

so I did ten times more work.so I did ten times more work.

George HarrisonGeorge Harrison,,"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

With every mistake With every mistake

we must surely be learning.we must surely be learning.

Leonard AdelmanLeonard Adelman, MIT , MIT co-inventor of RSA coding system co-inventor of RSA coding system

Mathematicians are trained and inclined to Mathematicians are trained and inclined to sit and think. sit and think.

A mathematician can sit and think intensely A mathematician can sit and think intensely about a problem for 12 hours a day, about a problem for 12 hours a day,

six months straight, six months straight, with perhaps just with perhaps just pencil and paper.pencil and paper.

Galileo Galileo

No one will be able to read No one will be able to read

the great book of the Universe the great book of the Universe

if he does not know the language, if he does not know the language,

which is that of mathematics.which is that of mathematics.

Teresa EarnhardtTeresa Earnhardt, , CEO of Dale Earnhardt Inc. CEO of Dale Earnhardt Inc.

[Y]ou learn with experience. [Y]ou learn with experience.

You make a mistake one time, You make a mistake one time,

and you learn from it and you learn from it

and you try not to let it happen again.and you try not to let it happen again.

Clint EastwoodClint Eastwood, , in "Heartbreak Ridge"in "Heartbreak Ridge"

Improvise, Improvise,

adapt, adapt,

and overcome.and overcome.

Stanford University's Stanford University's Bridge ProjectBridge Project, ,

Betraying the College DreamBetraying the College Dream

Of all the pre-college curricula, Of all the pre-college curricula,

the highest level of mathematics one studies the highest level of mathematics one studies in secondary school in secondary school

has the strongest continuing influence on has the strongest continuing influence on bachelor degree completion.bachelor degree completion.

Jeff LewisJeff Lewis(2003) (2003)

Lately, Lately,

student errors have come more from student errors have come more from

"missed information" "missed information"

than than

"misinformation.“"misinformation.“

Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice

Find Find

your your

passion!passion!

Jeff LewisJeff Lewis(2004) (2004)

Athletes are expected to perform at a higher Athletes are expected to perform at a higher level in college level in college

so why not expect the same from students?so why not expect the same from students?

AP Calculus AP Calculus Course Guidelines PageCourse Guidelines Page

Drop a pebble into a calm lake Drop a pebble into a calm lake

and watch its ripples. and watch its ripples.

What you do today What you do today

will impact your future!will impact your future!

Vince Lombardi Vince Lombardi

The dictionary is the only place that success The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. comes before work.

Hard work is the price we must pay for Hard work is the price we must pay for success. success.

[Y]ou can accomplish anything if you're [Y]ou can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price.willing to pay the price.

James A. Michener James A. Michener

Character consists of what you do Character consists of what you do

on the third and fourth try.on the third and fourth try.

AerosmithAerosmith, , "Livin' On the Edge""Livin' On the Edge"

If you can judge a wise man If you can judge a wise man

by the color of his skin, by the color of his skin,

then, mister, then, mister,

you're a better man than I.you're a better man than I.

““How can I pass your class?”How can I pass your class?”**Taken from <**Taken from <http://http://www.rif.orgwww.rif.org//>) >)

Reading is fundamental**. Reading is fundamental**.

But you don't really "read" a mathematics But you don't really "read" a mathematics book, book,

you need to "write" a mathematics book you need to "write" a mathematics book

by taking notes and working examples as by taking notes and working examples as you go.you go.

““If I Wanted to Study I Would If I Wanted to Study I Would Have Gone to a Real College”Have Gone to a Real College”

The most important thing students can learn is The most important thing students can learn is how to learn on their own. how to learn on their own.

Technology is rapidly changing Technology is rapidly changing [the world][the world]

and those who cannot teach themselves and those who cannot teach themselves

will find their mere knowledge of the fundamentals will find their mere knowledge of the fundamentals

insufficient for future challenges.insufficient for future challenges.

John Wooden John Wooden

There's no great fun, There's no great fun,

satisfaction, satisfaction,

or joy or joy

derived from doing something that's easy.derived from doing something that's easy.

StingSting,,reflecting on his early career as a teacherreflecting on his early career as a teacher

It dawned on me It dawned on me

about two weeks into the first year that about two weeks into the first year that

it was not teaching that was taking place in it was not teaching that was taking place in the classroom, the classroom,

but learning.but learning.

Steven ZuckerSteven Zucker, , Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University

[T][T]he he [mathematics] [mathematics] textbook, textbook,

although sometimes hard to read, although sometimes hard to read,

goes at the reader's pace.goes at the reader's pace.

Michael Jordan Michael Jordan

I can accept failure. I can accept failure.

Everyone fails at something. Everyone fails at something.

What I cannot accept is not trying.What I cannot accept is not trying.

John Wooden John Wooden

Failing to prepare Failing to prepare

is is

preparing to fail.preparing to fail.

unknown unknown

People are afraid People are afraid

of things they do not understand.of things they do not understand.

Charles Vanden Eynden Charles Vanden Eynden

When reading a mathematics text, When reading a mathematics text,

not only do you need a pencil and paper not only do you need a pencil and paper

but you need to visualize what is going on– but you need to visualize what is going on–

Just like reading an erotic novel.Just like reading an erotic novel.

Jeff LewisJeff Lewis(2006) (2006)

My job is to challenge students to think My job is to challenge students to think

so that when they need to think, so that when they need to think,

it won't be such a challenge.it won't be such a challenge.

H.S. Wall H.S. Wall

I wonder if mathematics isn't rather a state of mind, I wonder if mathematics isn't rather a state of mind,

an analytic mind, an analytic mind,

which can size up a situation, which can size up a situation,

discard the unimportant, discard the unimportant,

fit disorganized facts into a pattern, fit disorganized facts into a pattern,

and know when a problem is solved.and know when a problem is solved.

If we approach the teaching of mathematics If we approach the teaching of mathematics with this as our axiom, with this as our axiom,

it might be that we could make essential it might be that we could make essential progress. progress.

For instance, For instance,

we would no longer apply the old principle of we would no longer apply the old principle of supplying answers to problems! supplying answers to problems!

Part of the scientific mind is Part of the scientific mind is

the critical ability to know when the problem the critical ability to know when the problem is solved.is solved.

Chinese proverb from Chinese proverb from R.L. MooreR.L. Moore,,quoted by Paul R. Halmos inquoted by Paul R. Halmos in I Want to be a Mathematician I Want to be a Mathematician

I hear, I forget; I hear, I forget;

I see, I remember; I see, I remember;

I do, I understandI do, I understand. .

R.L. MooreR.L. Moore, , (1882-1974) (1882-1974)

That student That student

is taught the best is taught the best

who is told the leastwho is told the least. .

The EndThe End