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        general >> wanted >> Request
        
(Message started by: LisaD on Sep 19^th, 2005, 8:26pm)

Title: Request
Post by LisaD on Sep 19^th, 2005, 8:26pm

Hi,
I work for a production company in Australia and for a film we're doing we need a guy writing solutions to maths problems. Only I am not a mathematician and have no clue what to write! Would someone be able to post say a page of maths solutions (doesnt matter if it makes sense), it just has to look impressive.

Thank you very much!

Lisa

Title: Re: Request
Post by Noke Lieu on Sep 19^th, 2005, 9:54pm

try asking the maths dept at UNSW, or UQ, or UTas.

COnversely, have a sticky beak at Questacon (http://www.questacon.edu.au)

Am certain they'll be able to help...

Title: Re: Request
Post by Icarus on Sep 20^th, 2005, 3:06pm

It would help greatly to have some idea about the background of this mathematician. Who is (s)he, and why is (s)he solving problems? Are these problems on a blackboard, or written out on paper, or on a computer? At what level is (s)he working? Research mathematics, or college?

If you have someone whose expertise is in theoretical physics, showing him working diophantine equations is not going to make much sense (and this will be recognizable to a larger portion of your audience than you may think). Conversely, if he is an expert in cryptography (codes and security), then it would be ridiculous to show him doing partial differential equations.

Don't blow off the question of whether or not it makes sense in favor of looking "impressive". There are far more people out there who can recognize what the problem is about than you might think, and if you have nonsense down, they will recognize it and completely fail to be impressed (and likely disparrage your efforts to those around who are less well educated).

For some good examples of mathematics in film done right, consider the movies "A Beautiful Mind", and "Good Will Hunting". The mathematics in both of these is both real and appropriate to the situation.

Title: Re: Request
Post by Icarus on Sep 20^th, 2005, 3:46pm

Since LisaD has posted this same thread several times in different forums, I have deleted those unreplied, moved the rest to the same forum, and locked all but one thread. Please direct any further replies to that thread.

Please do not do this again!