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Gerry Myerson
Gerry Myerson
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Avoid "no clue" questions

Too many questions begin or end with "I don't even know how to begin with this problem". While this may be true (you may genuinely have no idea how to approach the problem), it is still not a valid reason to limit your post to the statement of the problem without any mention of your own thoughts. Such questions will most of the time be rejected by the community, which represents a significant waste of time - including for yourself - since the removal of poorly documented questions is not a fully automated process.

There are plenty of ways to get started on a problem when one has "no clue":

  • Write down the definition of the keywords of the problem

This allows you to make sure that you understand them. Use examples ($\star$) when applicable.

Tip: if you realizerealise that you actually don't know the definition of one or several keywords, then you are probably asking the wrong question. However, you now know where to start!

  • If the problem involves formal computations, try with specific settings ($\star$) first

If you are asked to prove that something holds for any value of $n\in \Bbb N$, see if you could prove it when $n=1, 2$ or $3$. Doing that you may observe a repeating pattern or grounds for proof by induction.

If the problem involves an arbitrary orthogonal matrix $M$, replace it with your favoritefavourite orthogonal matrix. If you realizerealise that you can't write one down, this means that you are not fully at ease with the notions involved, and what's more you know where to start: read about orthogonal matrices.

  • If the problem involves large numbers, try with lower numbers first ($\star$)

You are being asked to simplify $7^{9999}\bmod 13$. What about $7^{20}\bmod 13$? Or $7^{20}\bmod 3$? What will happen if you multiply that by $7$, over and over? Take it down to something that you can do by hand, and look for a pattern. Having done that, if you can't find the pattern, that's fine, but now you have some material to include in your post and make it valuable.

  • Write down what you know that seems related to the problem

Any relevant theorem not in that list will be spotted right away and other users will point it out easily.

($\star$) you have to make them up yourself, and that very process is excellent to make progress in the way you think in general: what is a good, representative example in a given situation? A good example is one that is not too far off from the general case, one that gives a good idea of what is going on. Knowing your definitions also means knowing one or two good examples.

Avoid "no clue" questions

Too many questions begin or end with "I don't even know how to begin with this problem". While this may be true (you may genuinely have no idea how to approach the problem), it is still not a valid reason to limit your post to the statement of the problem without any mention of your own thoughts. Such questions will most of the time be rejected by the community, which represents a significant waste of time - including for yourself - since the removal of poorly documented questions is not a fully automated process.

There are plenty of ways to get started on a problem when one has "no clue":

  • Write down the definition of the keywords of the problem

This allows you to make sure that you understand them. Use examples ($\star$) when applicable.

Tip: if you realize that you actually don't know the definition of one or several keywords, then you are probably asking the wrong question. However, you now know where to start!

  • If the problem involves formal computations, try with specific settings ($\star$) first

If you are asked to prove that something holds for any value of $n\in \Bbb N$, see if you could prove it when $n=1, 2$ or $3$. Doing that you may observe a repeating pattern or grounds for proof by induction.

If the problem involves an arbitrary orthogonal matrix $M$, replace it with your favorite orthogonal matrix. If you realize that you can't write one down, this means that you are not fully at ease with the notions involved, and what's more you know where to start: read about orthogonal matrices.

  • If the problem involves large numbers, try with lower numbers first ($\star$)

You are being asked to simplify $7^{9999}\bmod 13$. What about $7^{20}\bmod 13$? Or $7^{20}\bmod 3$? What will happen if you multiply that by $7$, over and over? Take it down to something that you can do by hand, and look for a pattern. Having done that, if you can't find the pattern, that's fine, but now you have some material to include in your post and make it valuable.

  • Write down what you know that seems related to the problem

Any relevant theorem not in that list will be spotted right away and other users will point it out easily.

($\star$) you have to make them up yourself, and that very process is excellent to make progress in the way you think in general: what is a good, representative example in a given situation? A good example is one that is not too far off from the general case, one that gives a good idea of what is going on. Knowing your definitions also means knowing one or two good examples.

Avoid "no clue" questions

Too many questions begin or end with "I don't even know how to begin with this problem". While this may be true (you may genuinely have no idea how to approach the problem), it is still not a valid reason to limit your post to the statement of the problem without any mention of your own thoughts. Such questions will most of the time be rejected by the community, which represents a significant waste of time - including for yourself - since the removal of poorly documented questions is not a fully automated process.

There are plenty of ways to get started on a problem when one has "no clue":

  • Write down the definition of the keywords of the problem

This allows you to make sure that you understand them. Use examples ($\star$) when applicable.

Tip: if you realise that you actually don't know the definition of one or several keywords, then you are probably asking the wrong question. However, you now know where to start!

  • If the problem involves formal computations, try with specific settings ($\star$) first

If you are asked to prove that something holds for any value of $n\in \Bbb N$, see if you could prove it when $n=1, 2$ or $3$. Doing that you may observe a repeating pattern or grounds for proof by induction.

If the problem involves an arbitrary orthogonal matrix $M$, replace it with your favourite orthogonal matrix. If you realise that you can't write one down, this means that you are not fully at ease with the notions involved, and what's more you know where to start: read about orthogonal matrices.

  • If the problem involves large numbers, try with lower numbers first ($\star$)

You are being asked to simplify $7^{9999}\bmod 13$. What about $7^{20}\bmod 13$? Or $7^{20}\bmod 3$? What will happen if you multiply that by $7$, over and over? Take it down to something that you can do by hand, and look for a pattern. Having done that, if you can't find the pattern, that's fine, but now you have some material to include in your post and make it valuable.

  • Write down what you know that seems related to the problem

Any relevant theorem not in that list will be spotted right away and other users will point it out easily.

($\star$) you have to make them up yourself, and that very process is excellent to make progress in the way you think in general: what is a good, representative example in a given situation? A good example is one that is not too far off from the general case, one that gives a good idea of what is going on. Knowing your definitions also means knowing one or two good examples.

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Jakeup
Jakeup
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Avoid "no clue" questions

Too many questions begin or end with "I don't even know how to begin with this problem". While this may be true (you may genuinely have no idea how to approach the problem), it is still not a valid reason to limit your post to the statement of the problem without any mention of your own thoughts. Such questions will most of the time be rejected by the community, which represents a significant waste of time - including for yourself - since the removal of poorly documented questions is not a fully automated process.

There are plenty of ways to get started on a problem when one has "no clue":

  • Write down the definition of the keywords of the problem

This allows you to make sure that you understand them. Use examples ($\star$) when applicable.

Tip: if you realiserealize that you actually don't know the definition of one or several keywords, then you are probably asking the wrong question. However, you now know where to start!

  • If the problem involves formal computations, try with specific settings ($\star$) first

If you are asked to prove that something holds for any value of $n\in \Bbb N$, see if you could prove it when $n=1, 2$ or $3$. Doing that you may observe a repeating pattern, or grounds for a proof by induction.

If the problem involves an arbitrary orthogonal matrix $M$, replace it bywith your favouritefavorite orthogonal matrix. If you realiserealize that you can't write one down, this means that you are not fully at ease with the notions involved, and what's more you know where to start: read about orthogonal matrices.

  • If the problem involves large numbers, try with lower numbers first ($\star$)

You are being asked to simplify $7^{9999}\bmod 13$. What about $7^{20}\bmod 13$? Or $7^{20}\bmod 3$? What will happen if you multiply that by $7$, over and over? Take it down to something that you can do by hand, and look for a pattern. Having done that, if you can't find the pattern, that's fine, but now you have some material to include toin your post and make it valuable.

  • Write down what you know that seems related to the problem

Any relevant theorem not in that list will be spotted right away and other users will point it out easily.

($\star$) you have to make them up yourself, and that very process is excellent to make progress in the way you think in general: what is a good, representative example in a given situation? A good example is one that is not too far off from the general case, one that gives a good idea of what is going on. Knowing your definitions also means knowing one or two good examples.

Avoid "no clue" questions

Too many questions begin or end with "I don't even know how to begin with this problem". While this may be true (you may genuinely have no idea how to approach the problem), it is still not a valid reason to limit your post to the statement of the problem without any mention of your own thoughts. Such questions will most of the time be rejected by the community, which represents a significant waste of time - including for yourself - since the removal of poorly documented questions is not a fully automated process.

There are plenty of ways to get started on a problem when one has "no clue":

  • Write down the definition of the keywords of the problem

This allows you to make sure that you understand them. Use examples ($\star$) when applicable.

Tip: if you realise that you actually don't know the definition of one or several keywords, then you are probably asking the wrong question. However, you now know where to start!

  • If the problem involves formal computations, try with specific settings ($\star$) first

If you are asked to prove that something holds for any value of $n\in \Bbb N$, see if you could prove it when $n=1, 2$ or $3$. Doing that you may observe a repeating pattern, or grounds for a proof by induction.

If the problem involves an arbitrary orthogonal matrix $M$, replace it by your favourite orthogonal matrix. If you realise that you can't write one down, this means that you are not fully at ease with the notions involved, and what's more you know where to start: read about orthogonal matrices.

  • If the problem involves large numbers, try with lower numbers first ($\star$)

You are being asked to simplify $7^{9999}\bmod 13$. What about $7^{20}\bmod 13$? Or $7^{20}\bmod 3$? What will happen if you multiply that by $7$, over and over? Take it down to something that you can do by hand, and look for a pattern. Having done that, if you can't find the pattern, that's fine, but now you have some material to include to your post and make it valuable.

  • Write down what you know that seems related to the problem

Any relevant theorem not in that list will be spotted right away and other users will point it out easily.

($\star$) you have to make them up yourself, and that very process is excellent to make progress in the way you think in general: what is a good, representative example in a given situation? A good example is one that is not too far off from the general case, one that gives a good idea of what is going on. Knowing your definitions also means knowing one or two good examples.

Avoid "no clue" questions

Too many questions begin or end with "I don't even know how to begin with this problem". While this may be true (you may genuinely have no idea how to approach the problem), it is still not a valid reason to limit your post to the statement of the problem without any mention of your own thoughts. Such questions will most of the time be rejected by the community, which represents a significant waste of time - including for yourself - since the removal of poorly documented questions is not a fully automated process.

There are plenty of ways to get started on a problem when one has "no clue":

  • Write down the definition of the keywords of the problem

This allows you to make sure that you understand them. Use examples ($\star$) when applicable.

Tip: if you realize that you actually don't know the definition of one or several keywords, then you are probably asking the wrong question. However, you now know where to start!

  • If the problem involves formal computations, try with specific settings ($\star$) first

If you are asked to prove that something holds for any value of $n\in \Bbb N$, see if you could prove it when $n=1, 2$ or $3$. Doing that you may observe a repeating pattern or grounds for proof by induction.

If the problem involves an arbitrary orthogonal matrix $M$, replace it with your favorite orthogonal matrix. If you realize that you can't write one down, this means that you are not fully at ease with the notions involved, and what's more you know where to start: read about orthogonal matrices.

  • If the problem involves large numbers, try with lower numbers first ($\star$)

You are being asked to simplify $7^{9999}\bmod 13$. What about $7^{20}\bmod 13$? Or $7^{20}\bmod 3$? What will happen if you multiply that by $7$, over and over? Take it down to something that you can do by hand, and look for a pattern. Having done that, if you can't find the pattern, that's fine, but now you have some material to include in your post and make it valuable.

  • Write down what you know that seems related to the problem

Any relevant theorem not in that list will be spotted right away and other users will point it out easily.

($\star$) you have to make them up yourself, and that very process is excellent to make progress in the way you think in general: what is a good, representative example in a given situation? A good example is one that is not too far off from the general case, one that gives a good idea of what is going on. Knowing your definitions also means knowing one or two good examples.

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Arnaud Mortier
Arnaud Mortier
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Avoid "no clue" questions

Too many questions begin or end with "I don't even know how to begin with this problem". While this may be true (you may genuinely have no idea how to approach the problem), it is still not a valid reason to limit your post to the statement of the problem without any mention of your own thoughts. Such questions will most of the time be rejected by the community, which represents a significant waste of time - including for yourself - since the removal of poorly documented questions is not a fully automated process.

There are plenty of ways to get started on a problem when one has "no clue":

  • Write down the definition of the keywords of the problem

This allows you to make sure that you understand them. Use examples ($\star$) when applicable.

Tip: if you realise that you actually don't know the definition of one or several keywords, then you are probably asking the wrong question. However, you now know where to start!

  • If the problem involves formal computations, try with specific settings ($\star$) first

If you are asked to prove that something holds for any value of $n\in \Bbb N$, see if you could prove it when $n=1, 2$ or $3$. Doing that you may observe a repeating pattern, or grounds for a proof by induction.

If the problem involves an arbitrary orthogonal matrix $M$, replace it by your favourite orthogonal matrix. If you realise that you can't write one down, this means that you are not fully at ease with the notions involved, and what's more you know where to start: read about orthogonal matrices.

  • If the problem involves large numbers, try with lower numbers first ($\star$)

You are being asked to simplify $7^{9999}\bmod 13$. What about $7^{20}\bmod 13$? Or $7^{20}\bmod 3$? What will happen if you multiply that by $7$, over and over? Take it down to something that you can do by hand, and look for a pattern. Having done that, if you can't find the pattern, that's fine, but now you have some material to include to your post and make it valuable.

  • Write down what you know that seems related to the problem

Any relevant theorem not in that list will be spotted right away and other users will point it out easily.

($\star$) you have to make them up yourself, and that very process is excellent to make progress in the way you think in general: what is a good, representative example in a given situation? A good example is one that is not too far off from the general case, one that gives a good idea of what is going on. Knowing your definitions also means knowing one or two good examples.

Post Made Community Wiki by Arnaud Mortier