10 signs you are a math nerd

Which of the following did you get?

What's your score?

1) You’re on Brilliant now!

This statement is trivially true.

2) You fully expected this list to end here.

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who do not.

3) Any piece of paper is covered with math equations.

Equations are related to this note.

4) You tell your boyfriend/girlfriend 3303 on Valentines day

See this problem.

5) You told your parents $\large y = \frac{ \ln \left( \frac{x}{m} - as \right) } { r^2 }.$

See this problem.

6) If you did not do #5, you totally wished you did it.

7) For christmas, you asked for a Trig textbook.

Based on a true story.

8) You know the answer to: Why couldn’t the chicken cross the Mobius Strip.

9) To get a beachfront property in the woods you take

$\int \frac{1}{ \text{cabin} } \, d \text{ cabin} .$

10) You believe in higher powers.

Easy Math Editor

This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments should further the discussion of math and science.

When posting on Brilliant:

Use the emojis to react to an explanation, whether you're congratulating a job well done , or just really confused .
Ask specific questions about the challenge or the steps in somebody's explanation. Well-posed questions can add a lot to the discussion, but posting "I don't understand!" doesn't help anyone.
Try to contribute something new to the discussion, whether it is an extension, generalization or other idea related to the challenge.
Stay on topic — we're all here to learn more about math and science, not to hear about your favorite get-rich-quick scheme or current world events.

Markdown	Appears as
`italics` or `_italics_`	italics
`bold` or `__bold__`	bold
- bulleted - list	bulleted list
1. numbered 2. list	numbered list
Note: you must add a full line of space before and after lists for them to show up correctly
paragraph 1 paragraph 2	paragraph 1 paragraph 2
`[example link](https://brilliant.org)`	example link
`> This is a quote`	This is a quote
# I indented these lines # 4 spaces, and now they show # up as a code block. print "hello world"	# I indented these lines # 4 spaces, and now they show # up as a code block. print "hello world"

Math	Appears as
Remember to wrap math in `$` ... `$` or `\[` ... `\]` to ensure proper formatting.
`2 \times 3`	$2 \times 3$
`2^{34}`	$2^{34}$
`a_{i-1}`	$a_{i-1}$
`\frac{2}{3}`	$\frac{2}{3}$
`\sqrt{2}`	$\sqrt{2}$
`\sum_{i=1}^3`	$\sum_{i=1}^3$
`\sin \theta`	$\sin \theta$
`\boxed{123}`	$\boxed{123}$

Comments

Sort by:

Top Newest

*Teacher absent*

*5 mins later I be like*

John M. - 5 years, 10 months ago

Is there a ladder around, or does one just 'get high on math' and levitate to write stuff at the top of the board?

This image is the stuff of nightmares ....... thanks for sharing it, John. :P

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 10 months ago

Does college actually look like this (below)

In every Hollywood movie I've seen, there's your stereotypical math professor infront of a giant board with complex small writing that absolutely no one in the room

A) understands

B) can even see from their seats

C) looks at

D) cares about

Because they're all too busy wondering "when's the next party?"

Trevor Arashiro - 5 years, 10 months ago

A math nerd copies John Muradeli's posted picture and enlarges it enough to see that it's about quantum physics, and then tries to figure out what part of quantum physics it's about, in spite of unreadable blurry writing, and still finds it fascinating.

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 10 months ago

@Michael Mendrin – That's curiosity

U Z - 5 years, 10 months ago

Our college calculus classroom had chalkboards on four walls. The professor would enter the room, begin talking and writing on the board. When the last board was full, class was over.

A Former Brilliant Member - 5 years, 10 months ago

Mine just erases the board and continues on past the bell.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 10 months ago

I am that same way, John. I did it for the entire class time several times as well. Other/Most times, about a good 5-10 minutes.

Lew Sterling Jr - 5 years, 4 months ago

lol

Handayani Basuki - 4 years, 9 months ago

Great list, Calvin. I can relate to Sign #3 to the $n$ th degree, and Sign #8 is my favorite joke ever, which I guess makes me even more of a nerd. :)

Edit: Sign #11: You always smile when you see a (digital) clock read times like 12:34 or 3:14.

Sign #12: You automatically prime factorize (in your head) every integer you see in everyday life.

Edit #2: Sign #13: You are reading this on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 10 months ago

I did ask for a trig book for xmas!

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 10 months ago

This Christmas? I would have thought that you already had enough trig books. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 10 months ago

It was a long time ago, I think I was in 6th or 7th grade, and you couldn't buy books like that in local stores. Bless my dad.

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 10 months ago

@Michael Mendrin – 6th or 7th grade? Wow, I didn't even know what trig was until 8th grade. I think I must have been a late bloomer when it came to having a passion for math; calculus and number theory did the trick for me. Anyway, it's good that your father was there to support your curiosity.

Best of the Season, Michael. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 10 months ago

@Michael Mendrin – 6th grade.... Wow. I just asked this year, which is 10th grade, guess I'm 4 years late XD. I didn't love math nearly as much in lower school but I wish I had,

Trevor Arashiro - 5 years, 10 months ago

@Michael Mendrin – Giving any away or keeping all of them?

Lew Sterling Jr - 5 years, 4 months ago

@Lew Sterling Jr – In all the years that I've had books come and go from my personal library, I've never let go of my math and physics books. Books have fallen out of favor in this internet age, but the internet still cannot duplicate what's in them.

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 4 months ago

@Michael Mendrin – Oh, alright. Do you know if some of your book are found online? I haven't any really good ones lately.

Lew Sterling Jr - 5 years, 4 months ago

I don't celebrate xmas but I asked my parents for a Calculus 1 book when I was 14!

Ahmad Khan - 3 months, 2 weeks ago

You use math to mesmerize people, it's super effective!
You write math equations during the bus stop, subway, etc. above the air like you cast some magic stuffs on people.
You can awake yourself during boring class with math.
You dream about solving math problems at least 1 night.
You think the word "or" as the logic operators.

(based on my true story.)

Samuraiwarm Tsunayoshi - 5 years, 10 months ago

This is all sooo true!!!

Melissa Quail - 5 years, 10 months ago

I do all of these!!

Ashley Shamidha - 5 years, 6 months ago

same here

Ahmad Khan - 2 years, 4 months ago

Would you like beans or gates.

Joel Yip - 4 years, 4 months ago

Yup true for me. I do mesmerize my class mates with math and they say"Really?".

Ahmad Khan - 2 years, 4 months ago

there are 10 kinds of people in the world: (1)those who understand octal. (2)those who don't.
(3)and then those who don't understand ternary and were expecting me to write eight statements!!!

Somesh Singh - 5 years, 10 months ago

Three more signs: 1. Every time you see the clock you calculate the angle between the hour hand and minute hand. 2. When you watch cricket, for every ball you calculate the run rate and projected score. 3. When you see a tough problem (for others) you say "BEAUTIFUL"

Ashley Shamidha - 5 years, 6 months ago

Thanks! Those are good suggestions, seeing the beauty of math in everyday life!

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 6 months ago

Me too!!!!!! I always keep calculating the run rate as well as strike rate!!!!

Aman Real - 5 years, 6 months ago

This proves the beauty of mathematics http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/2014/05/07/the-neuroscience-of-mathematical-beauty/

Ashley Shamidha - 5 years, 6 months ago

It gets worse...

Well, I asked my mom for a trig text book... And a math tutor

I had my friend get me another math book

And my grandma to get me a white board 😅

Trevor Arashiro - 5 years, 10 months ago

I love white boards! I bought 2 of them in college to scribble on. When the department got rid of a huge whiteboard on wheels, I contemplated rolling it into my dorm room. Sadly though, it was too big to have fit into my small dorm.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 10 months ago

Huh, a white board ..... yeah, that is epically nerdy. That definitely deserves a place in the pantheon of Signs.

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 10 months ago

It's this thing from school, we always work on a white board, it just seems to help for some reason.

Our math team quote is, "it's the white board that keeps us sane"

Also cuz our hand writing looks like it's in low quality 8bit.

Trevor Arashiro - 5 years, 10 months ago

No.7: Though I haven't asked for any book for Christmas but I usually buy a lot of Maths books (even if I don't read all of them) of general interest. Accidentally, sometimes, I end up buying stuff that are beyond my ability to understand.

Once I bought an algebra book named as 'Linear Algebra' which contained abstract ideas and college level material. I did't understand it. It is a 'forever alone' in my book shelf. If that adds anything to being a Math Nerd...

Soumo Mukherjee - 5 years, 10 months ago

Guess what I'm in grade 8 and I asked my parents to get me a 10th grade physics and math textbook for fun

Ahmad Khan - 2 years, 4 months ago

Actually, it seems that I am closest to the 3rd one...Most of my Brilliant problems are solved on my graded exam papers!

Pankaj Joshi - 5 years, 10 months ago

I used my friend's birthday card! And then he went upset!

Pranjal Jain - 5 years, 10 months ago

10/10 I'm crying

Danny Nguyen - 5 years, 10 months ago

Hmm ... I've got to call you out on this.

5 and 6 are mutually exclusive, so the maximum score is 9. (I'm tricky that way)

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 10 months ago

Right! Totally did not see that lol

Danny Nguyen - 5 years, 10 months ago

That was great!!!

Ritu Roy - 5 years, 10 months ago

I literally asked my mom for "The Art of Problem Solving, Volume 2: and Beyond" book yesterday (That counts as a trig book, right?!?).

Danny Nguyen - 5 years, 10 months ago

Not a standard Trig book, but anything Aops related signifies math nerdyness.

Rick Zhou - 2 years, 10 months ago

I got 7, what does that mean? Should I have counted #5 if I can solve it, but don't say it to anyone? Also, stereotypically not having a girlfriend/boyfriend at all would make you a bigger nerd, right?

Michael Sullivan - 5 years, 10 months ago

That's pretty great!

True, for 4, it should be "You would tell ...". LOL

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 10 months ago

Mayank Shrivastava - 5 years, 10 months ago

Great list! Although, if there's any truth to number 7 being a real math nerd... well, let's just say a good portion of my Christmas list was math books.

Ryan Tamburrino - 5 years, 10 months ago

Already had a trig book. Ahahaha. :P

Vishnuram Leonardodavinci - 5 years, 10 months ago

Got five. Haha

Denel Joi - 5 years, 10 months ago

Congrats! That's a great score.

FYI, I've updated your name, and it is now reflected in your profile. It might take a while for us to update all of our caches across the site.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 10 months ago

i got sign 3#

ashay wakode - 5 years, 10 months ago

bestvalidation: <<#3>>

Kunal Gupta - 5 years, 10 months ago

1/2 math nerd, 1/2 future biologist

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 10 months ago

omg ........i thought that i was an extrovert !!! but after reading this ....... :xd i need to know more about myself ....hahahahahaha

Tootie Frootie - 5 years, 4 months ago

Well, at least that is a start. :)

Lew Sterling Jr - 5 years, 4 months ago

@calvin.gud post

Ayanlaja Adebola - 5 years, 10 months ago

Haha..I believe in higher power. X^(infinity). Any higher than infinity?

Farahani Ibrahim - 5 years, 10 months ago

What should be subtracted from the smallest 6-digit no. To make it exactly divisible by 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20.

Sonali Nandi - 5 years, 10 months ago

$LCM(5,8,10,12,15,20)=120$

Smallest 6-digit number=100000

$40\equiv 100000\mod 120$

So $\boxed{40}$ is the minimum natural number which must be subtracted from 100000 to make it divisible by 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20.

In general $40+120n$ must be subtracted where n is any integer.

Please post a note to ask problems rather than posting it as comment. It would reach more audience this way.

Pranjal Jain - 5 years, 10 months ago

My score is 6, am I a maths nerd?

Ashley Shamidha - 5 years, 6 months ago

Yes you are!

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 6 months ago

Wow! Thank You. Good post

Ashley Shamidha - 5 years, 6 months ago

got 8 damn

pawan dogra - 5 years, 5 months ago

wow please load more like his

tushar kaushik - 5 years, 4 months ago

Got 6, I loved this post.

Swapnil Das - 4 years, 10 months ago

Today, for christmas, I asked my father for a book of Single Variable Calculus :)

Swapnil Das - 4 years, 10 months ago

I don't believe people do ln(cabin)+C

Joel Yip - 4 years, 4 months ago

5 and #9 are too good... math nerd confirmed.

Rick Zhou - 2 years, 10 months ago

There are 2 kinds of people in the world The ones who want to get as far away from math as possible and the ones who are attracted to mathematics(A.K.A. Me)

Ahmad Khan - 2 years, 4 months ago

Or if you know Cardano's Formula off by heart, without being overwhelmed by the irrational roots it sometimes produces.

Damian Mark - 3 months, 2 weeks ago

That's true, I also asked my parents to get me a Calculus 1 book when I was 14

Ahmad Khan - 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I got 2 I suck. ;-;-;-;-;

Kunal Verma - 5 years, 6 months ago

Math	Appears as
Remember to wrap math in `\(` ... `\)` or `\[` ... `\]` to ensure proper formatting.
`2 \times 3`	$2 \times 3$
`2^{34}`	$2^{34}$
`a_{i-1}`	$a_{i-1}$
`\frac{2}{3}`	$\frac{2}{3}$
`\sqrt{2}`	$\sqrt{2}$
`\sum_{i=1}^3`	$\sum_{i=1}^3$
`\sin \theta`	$\sin \theta$
`\boxed{123}`	$\boxed{123}$