My friend is telling me that people who get their PhD's in math have solved almost every problem in their undergraduate textbooks. I find this hard to believe. Either every PhD graduate is infinitely better at life than me, or this is a tall tale. What knowledge do you guys have on this subject?
Have PhD students/graduates solved all of their undergraduate textbook problems?
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1I'm in seventh class, I solve all my textbook problems. I assume the same happens with others, though it seems unlikely when you see the textbook sizes! – 2017-01-29
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0It depends on the student, unsurprisingly... – 2017-01-29
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2I won't vote to close, because my vote has superpowers, but I expect this to be closed soon as way off topic... – 2017-01-29
2 Answers
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Certainly not.
There are still some problems from my linear algebra and calculus texts that I haven't solved, and, as we move into upper division mathematics, I still can't do things from Neal Carothers' Real Analysis which was used for an undergraduate course in integration theory and measure theory. I took that class as a first year masters' student last year fulfilling a requirement, and that book had me lost.
It ultimately depends on the student. You can still be well-versed in various parts of mathematics but some things in "undergraduate" texts can still baffle you. I've learned that as a math and statistics tutor for the last two and a half years.
I should add that I'm a second year masters' student in mathematics; trying to move to a PhD in industrial engineering when I finish this program.
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Absolutely not! There is far too many problems per book per subject. Working in Applied Maths is about solving real problems for the real world not some cooked up situation that (most of the time) generates a beautiful answer. I feel the best route is to learn as you go. Take what you need from each problem. If it is something that is necessary, it will reoccur. If not, don't stress.