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Question regrding Braille and mathamatics (self.Blind)
submitted by SerialRepeatCustomer
This is perhaps quite a niche question but I'll put it out there anyway.
As a first year undergraduate math major student - I'm anticpating doing a lot of logic &/or set theory stuff related to...math obviously. I'm pretty proficient with Braille right now.
When it comes to remembering all the elements in a set though, i'm not quite sure how to manage the mental task, since some of the sets / groups can get a bit wordy. When you're dealing with 3 groups, for example
\>Consider the sets
A = { x: 4 < x ≤ 11 }
B = { x: x is a prime number }
C = { x: x = 6p, p ∈ Z }.
The universal set is U = { 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 }
Sets A, B and C are all subsets of U.
What's the best way of keeping track of the objects inside these groups, is it mostly a game of reading the sets over and over?
​
Thanks.
As a first year undergraduate math major student - I'm anticpating doing a lot of logic &/or set theory stuff related to...math obviously. I'm pretty proficient with Braille right now.
When it comes to remembering all the elements in a set though, i'm not quite sure how to manage the mental task, since some of the sets / groups can get a bit wordy. When you're dealing with 3 groups, for example
\>Consider the sets
A = { x: 4 < x ≤ 11 }
B = { x: x is a prime number }
C = { x: x = 6p, p ∈ Z }.
The universal set is U = { 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 }
Sets A, B and C are all subsets of U.
What's the best way of keeping track of the objects inside these groups, is it mostly a game of reading the sets over and over?
​
Thanks.
SirJektive 3 points 3y ago
Heya, blind senior math undergrad here.
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I'd say yes, it's just a matter of reading them until you have them fixed in your short-term memory. With enough practice, you'll start recognizing the patterns in notation that most mathematicians use, and you'll be able to recall what things are just based on their notation.
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Feel free to message me with any math accessibility related questions; it can often be a rough and frustrating journey.
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I'd say yes, it's just a matter of reading them until you have them fixed in your short-term memory. With enough practice, you'll start recognizing the patterns in notation that most mathematicians use, and you'll be able to recall what things are just based on their notation.
​
Feel free to message me with any math accessibility related questions; it can often be a rough and frustrating journey.
SirJektive 3 points 3y ago
I'll also add that it can help to rewrite the question using your own notation that's more enlightening, whether in your head or otherwize. For example renaming the set of primes to P.
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A lot of math is made easier to think about by using a more evocative notation.
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A lot of math is made easier to think about by using a more evocative notation.
SerialRepeatCustomer [OP] 2 points 3y ago
Thank you so much for your speedy response.
At this stage I"m looking at doing a double major of mathamatics and data science. It'll be one heck of a mountain to climb...with an amazing view.
Tbh I have found the algebra side of Braille a bit tricky (in terms of remembering the issue. Set theory and logic though seems to be more intense.
I might hunt down some basic logic handouts and get them converted toBraille for a bit of practice (outside of school work). Fortunately as a mature age student I have hte ability to know how to learn better than a lot of young people.
What area of math are you focused on...?
At this stage I"m looking at doing a double major of mathamatics and data science. It'll be one heck of a mountain to climb...with an amazing view.
Tbh I have found the algebra side of Braille a bit tricky (in terms of remembering the issue. Set theory and logic though seems to be more intense.
I might hunt down some basic logic handouts and get them converted toBraille for a bit of practice (outside of school work). Fortunately as a mature age student I have hte ability to know how to learn better than a lot of young people.
What area of math are you focused on...?
Fourier-Mukai 1 points 3y ago
One thing that might also help is to note how often math notation can be used to “chunk” several pieces of information together. If you need to juggle more than 4 or 5 things in your head at a time, you may be approaching the problem the wrong way.
SerialRepeatCustomer [OP] 1 points 3y ago
I potentially am.
I remember reading (at some point) that when you read a proof or a definition, don't take it in like a newspaper article. Go over it nice and smoothly, digest what's happening.
I guess by doing that, it allows you to break things into pieces and sift through any noie that's happening.
I remember reading (at some point) that when you read a proof or a definition, don't take it in like a newspaper article. Go over it nice and smoothly, digest what's happening.
I guess by doing that, it allows you to break things into pieces and sift through any noie that's happening.
SirJektive 1 points 3y ago
That's a really solid combo!
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I'm doing pure math mainly, with some side-dishes of CS.
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That practice sheet idea sounds good. The set theory stuff is one of those things that gets really hammered on at the beginning, because it's basic vocabulary that's used everywhere, but won't be heavily emphasized later on.
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You'll be doing a lot of linear algebra, and that also has a lot of standardized notation. For example: x,y,z are vector variables, b,c are vector constants, a is a matrix, V,W are vector spaces. It can be even more specific too, like q is an orthogonal matrix, r is an upper-triangular matrix, etc. You pick these up just by reading enough references and noticing the patterns.
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One thing to watch out for is capitalization. We will often use both cases of a letter in math to denote slightly things; for example: using a capital letter for a set, and the lower-case of that letter for a member of that same set.
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I'm doing pure math mainly, with some side-dishes of CS.
​
That practice sheet idea sounds good. The set theory stuff is one of those things that gets really hammered on at the beginning, because it's basic vocabulary that's used everywhere, but won't be heavily emphasized later on.
​
You'll be doing a lot of linear algebra, and that also has a lot of standardized notation. For example: x,y,z are vector variables, b,c are vector constants, a is a matrix, V,W are vector spaces. It can be even more specific too, like q is an orthogonal matrix, r is an upper-triangular matrix, etc. You pick these up just by reading enough references and noticing the patterns.
​
One thing to watch out for is capitalization. We will often use both cases of a letter in math to denote slightly things; for example: using a capital letter for a set, and the lower-case of that letter for a member of that same set.
oncenightvaler 1 points 3y ago
Ok, so what you need to look up is "set notation for Nemeth Braille" though I am sure that you can write each set on a new line and then break down the problem that way.
I took some probability theory in the twelfth grade, & so I could follow your question, though you did not write it in the proper Reddit paragraph format so just don't write everything all on the same line it will make things easier to see.
I took some probability theory in the twelfth grade, & so I could follow your question, though you did not write it in the proper Reddit paragraph format so just don't write everything all on the same line it will make things easier to see.
Type_ya_name_here 1 points 3y ago
Here in Australia - the Nemeth Code isn’t the standard. i can read it..though universally not used. UEB does the job.
oncenightvaler 1 points 3y ago
ok I was not aware, learning UEB currently because I wish to become a Braille transcriber.
Type_ya_name_here 1 points 3y ago
UEB is pretty good. I can’t dog the Nemeth code, it’s just not the national standard. When i write stuff for some math / science people who know the code - i’ll write it in that code. How are you finding your studies?
oncenightvaler 1 points 3y ago
Well it's going slow, but steady, they changed some of the punctuation from what I was used to.
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