There are two things that usually happen to me when I look at something. I’ll either spot all the usual nooks and crannies that I like to exploit (for style points) or I won’t and I consequently won’t be able to exploit very much very efficiently. Very rarely do I see a nook and not exploit it to the max, nor do I not spot a nook and somehow manage to exploit whatever I do see to the max.
I’m sure we all hate it when there is much fuss for little reason. Either you can derive (something meaningful from) it or you cannot. I’m almost certain there’s no such thing as quasi-meaning or lukewarm-profundity. My problem (as is that of some others) is that I sometimes end up being able to start but not finish solving problems. For example, I know how to break things into smaller parts and approach them from there, but I don’t know what to do with those parts. The same applies to people who know how to act and react to microcosms of circumstance, but don’t seem to know how (or when) to direct themselves towards some sort of ultimate, pre-/self-/wisely determined goal.
It’s important to know what to do in small, seemingly unimportant situations (like knowing when to substitute, when to solve by parts, by partial fractions, to flatter, etc…) since they ultimately make up a more than significant portion of your solution/ life/ relationships/ experiences. At the same time, an overarching purpose or direction is needed if you’re to know what to make of all these tiny happenings. It’s like having workers and executives, pixels and picture, or ingredients and cake (consider this a case where it isn’t a lie).
Just as how I’m scoring something around a 67% in Integration (Calculus) at the moment, retarded lukewarm solutions to problems don’t exactly garner very impressive or satisfying results. I solve problems half-way and get maybe part marks, but regardless of how many part marks I scrape up, there’s no way I’m going to score anything much higher than a 60% doing that. In any case, I’ve resolved to work at all previous IB HL Math exams from now until May so I can totally nail that all-time high-score.
I don’t really know where else to take this. It was mostly just an excuse to write ambiguously about Maths and whatever you linked this to in your head, as well as confirm that, yes, I am getting a 67% in Math. Okay, now let’s all forget about this until I come back in July with a Level 7.
Ms. Yeganegi: “I don’t think these marks are reflective of your abilities.”
Me (aside): “…D-damn straight.”