Pelita by A.P.I.

A very nice song. Boleh bikin naik semangat. Layan...

Fixing Thorough the Errors

It has been a while I'm using LaTeX as my word processor and I can say that I am quite comfortable with it. However, there are times when what you type and configure doesn't come out nicely. This never happened when I'm working in Microsoft word office.

Actually, there so much things you can do with LaTeX. Sometimes one can even experiment new style of writing, saving files, include files and so on. There are tons of references for those who would like to begin with LaTeX. And believe me it was really easy and helpful. But when one deals with the actual work with LaTeX, one can't imagine how one need to deal with the errors during the compilation of one files. Usually errors can be fix very quick. But today, it is very challenging. As I was writing just in a normal mode and everything was just fine. And next when I changed into a new file to continue with, I facing this kind of error for which I didn't know where to fix it since the file looked all perfect to me.

This is somehow very troublesome and annoying. Because now it has been one hour and more since I ever try to fix the error. It is related to the undefined references due to the cross-references in LaTeX. I somehow lost my focus since I cannot have the perfect compile pdf file. I guess I should stop running the compilation and just continue with the contents.

arrghhh...

p\s- I've emailed a friend who a master of this piece and perhaps he has the answer to it.

Longest Verification

I've been doing this calculation of group multiplication from a 'new' group representation theory for about two weeks now. Last weekend saw me doing it over and over again. Which at the end, showed that no resolution is covered. Last week also during my discussion, me and my advisor are somehow 'fighting' each other to show which formula really works and how to solve it.

There are two things which I need to prove. The first part is using the group multiplication one needs to show that the group representation is correct. And the second part is to get the correct matrix form from the group representation. I sense that this is not as simple as the 2x2 or 3x3 matrices. So I start with 4x4 and all my matrix multiplication so far show a NO go. One of the terms which I got is not correct. I just manage to get only three terms correct out of four. Which is not correct at all. It has to be a unique solution.

Owh I feel so so tired. But I need to keep it up and try other ways plus trying to look for if there is meaning comes out of it. The multiplication and groups. Aarrgghh...

First Day of Class

Today is the first day of the Quantum Mechanics II (QM II) course. It will be carry on during this semester for every Wednesday afternoon from 2pm until 4.45pm. I was so excited to attend this course since the lecture will be given by my supervisor. Plus also on how would he made quantum mechanics to be lovable. That is the first thing he did, when he first started his lecture. He said exactly

"this would be a very fun course. It contains the story of the love of my life which is quantum mechanics"

I do have a bit of uneasy on how I would perform in his class, but the way he gave lecture effected me even more.

As I imagined, the student who took this courses are mostly male students. The fact that I'm trying to be as early as possible to the class, so that I can sit in front was not working that well. I'm competing myself with a few other tough guys which also taller than myself. And in the end I only secure myself for the second row. Maybe next time I can try to squeeze more to get a better view.

Today's topic touched on the historical of quantum mechanics and later on trying to generate concepts from the classical mechanics towards quantum mechanics. This is by doing the most famous example such as the pendulum and harmonic oscillator. I can safely say that I enjoyed this first lecture and also understand most of the topic which have been discussed.

good luck...

Google Docs

I've been told by my best partner that I should try this another interesting platform from Google, namely Google Docs. For people like myself who use mathematical symbols a lot. I mean really a lot. The famous word document such as LaTeX.is very powerful. For example, nowadays we can see that the transformation of using blogspot to wordpress for a blogger who need a friendly and fully integrated TeX medium (i.e. mathematical symbols) in the web has already been solved.

Now, with this features of Google Docs, we can make our quick or recall notes anytime without even using the LaTeX processor or medium to execute such file that we need. The best thing of Google Docs, is that for those who are used to LaTeX symbols or LaTeX documentation, the same ideas work very well in Google Docs. Plus also for those who doesn't really know about the LaTeX shortcut symbol, Google Docs had prepared an equation editor menu. So that as usual, one just need to just choose, click and insert the associated equation.

Thanks Google...

a new document

select the Equation editor on the insert menu

the TeX equation workbook

example of an output

Lately Transformed...

I just finished watching the transformer movie and I'm having a really good time. I mean the movie was great. Full of actions and the story lines are wonderful. But yes, I just watched the first transformer movie. Its kind of late since the second movie has been released this year. Thanks to CBC.ca local television to make this movie as one of the holidays movie.

During my childhood, I am a big fan of a transformer. But then, during that time, we enjoyed the cartoon versions. And after seeing this movie I know now why lots of viewers give credits to this piece. It's really cool...

The leader of Autobots, the Optimus Prime.

Decepticon's logo

Redo and Redo

Up until this post is written, I had spent the whole morning and the afternoon working on the construction of the group multiplication related to the Stockwell transform. I am quite sure that I have work out the computational method in a right way. According to the journal I'd refer. But at the end my final answer was not correct.

The next piece of paper will mark the eight (rough) paper for the computation alone. And there's more to come.

Lets do it all over again...

Do and Learns

Honestly, I don't really bother to stay all day at my place in my office. I also don't mind to sit at the same place with the same environment all day or even months. Just maybe and maybe it is because of the things we do (a theoretical work) we tend to accept that there will be no term of 'boring' when it comes to work place environment. I am not talking about myself alone, but it also happen to the rest of my office mate. They all sit at their place very quiet, reads, and there's one person I saw him thinking. He stared at the ceiling for quite sometimes. Woww...

However, recently I went to the library to do works and some readings. Just to have an another feeling from my routine. It helps also since books and reference are near, it was very easy to make an instant referent. And yesterday I found a book titled "Groups:A Path to Geometry" which contain full of exercises plus complete answers on the fundamental concepts of groups.

At the very beginning of books, the author says

Mathematics is something we do, not something we learn.

And he mentioned that most of mathematics lecturer tends to do the opposite.

I try to figure out what he really means and I know it of cause that we can never learn maths unless we do them. We won't understand the rules or the important properties until we work on all the possible solutions. Only than that the rules make sense and acceptable.

So, lets do and learn.

The Reals

This Fall, I was encouraged to attend an undergraduate's class on Real Analysis. A subject of mathematical analysis. It is a basic or very fundamental to all mathematics' graduates in Concordia. It has been two weeks now and there's a lot that I've learn from the class.

During my undergraduate's I remembered that I took some mathematical subject being as my minor. Those days, I have Calculus, Algebra, Linear Algebra, Advanced Calculus, Vector Analysis, Mechanics and Complex Analysis. For all this types of subject I was learning on how to solve a problems given. To be specific, we were taught on solving problem technique per se.

In my Real Analysis class, we start with the study of the property of natural numbers (i.e. positive numbers, 1,2,3,..), next the rationals (i.e fractional number 1/2, 1/3, ...) and now we are learning to construct the real numbers from the rationals. How beautiful can it be rite?

We were using the fact that from the property of rationals the operation of addition and multiplication can also be done in the real number without assuming that that kind of operations are definitely works (in real life it is always true). But, how far that we know that it is always true? In this class, we were suppose to answer any such question with proves. Only then it is safe to say something implies to something. If no such proof, then it's just only and hypothesis. Nothing else. It's quite complicated and sometimes it can be a mental torcher, but it is worth it.

I think it is the best choice to sit in this class and learn 'new' things which for most people it is not really new.

p/s- Reals as we know as nombor nyata has long been used for counting.

Idol's Mood

Just to spice things up regarding the new Season 8 winner of American Idol. At the very beginning everyone has predicted (even Simon Cowell) that Adam Lambert will owns the title of a winner. However I'm not sure what happened to Adam's fan, their votes are less than Kriss Allen. Right now Kriss is enjoying his first single call "No Boundaries". I personally like the song. But sadly to say that I like the version of Adam Lambert's rather than Kriss Allen's version. Readers can decide it yourself. I post both versions.

Kriss Allen's version

Adam's version (I think, maybe the song which best described as rock genre suits Adam's voice more).

But overall I'm happy with the final results. Kriss is definitely a talented one of a singer. He's catchy and more versatile than Adam.
...
Plus I very much enjoyed the performance of Kriss and Keith Urban during the finale night. Again enjoy.

Song title "Kiss the Girl" by Keith Urban

p/s- personal point of view

Hey Jude

I'm not a big fan of the Beatles. However after listen to this song, I totally like it. It's really nice.

Enjoy...

Feels Like ...

It's been almost seven months now, I've been struggling hard to catch up everything which I feel left behind. I am speaking of my studies. This is due to my 1st qualifying exam which is due this coming June. The topics involved are general maths. But believed me, general doesn't mean easy. Since the question may varies. There are five topics to be covered (sigh). And right now I feel like I am becoming a math's student rather that a physics student. I can safely said that in my department, I am the only student who finished my degree in physics. Fortunate for me that I did some maths subject during my degree which help me to speed some of the understanding. But I don't think it's enough. Most whom I met (the students) have a pure maths background. And there's only one so far who did her bachelor in mathematical physics. Which I cannot compare myself with her since her grasp in fundamental of maths were gigantic as well. Lucky that when I have discussion with this student and when I cleared myself that I came from physics background, they being really reasonable. They treated me like I was in my first level of high school. Which is cool.

There's one thing that I've learned from these maths student is the way they play around with notations and indices. They can make easy generalization out from a very specific problem and apply them to a particular problem. They write equations a lot and tell a 'story' out of them. Numbers are hardly notice in our everyday life but variables are. Proof is normal thing to do and honestly, I don't really like to proof. One more thing is they like to discuss and presents ideas. Always. Right now, I am trying my best to be if not equal but at least not that far from them.

Note: My Chinese friend is more helpful than the whites (pure). If I asked only some idea to solve, she simply solved everything towards the end. thanks a lot. I may need to absorb everything from these people just to make sure that I am fully apprehended with the techniques before the coming of the exam.

Journey towards PhD

From "A PhD Thesis Without Tears", John Creedy, 2007 (research paper)

During your preliminary reading, ...in describing what you want to investigate, you should be able to frame a clear question. One should prepare to answer questions like

1. 1. What was the question motivating this paper?

   2. What are the author’s major results?

   3. What do you regard as the main limitations of the approach?

   4. In what ways do you expect your research to extend existing literature?

Note: a very useful standard materials

Brush Everything Up!

This week, I've came up with three questions and one basic concept to be discussed with my advisor. I always try to think of, what is really there in a mind of a professor. It was very synonym that whatever kind of question that came up, these people usually have something to say about it and they explain it very well. Same happen to my advisor. He always have answer to all my question. And the best it, it is instantly giving question to an instantly giving answer. How do you feel about that?

There's a time, when he cannot think of a good way to answer, but he thought of it real deep, and the process was continuous. At the end, he will finally get to show ideas to solving such problems. Like what happened this week. He took more time to work out the solution for an if and only if statement prove. He wrote everything on the board and I try to get the idea of the solving method. When we sit down, just when I tried to wrote everything down in my notes, he said,

"so, that's pretty all of it. Afterward please brush everything up."

I looked at his face and not sure what kind of 'face' that I showed him, but he replied with

"no, no, I don't ask you to clean up the board, just detail everything up for that solution OK...", he laugh.

Owh, it's pretty obvious huh!!! @#$$$#&#&@@

Talk Like A Physicist

I just found this interesting site from my Google alert for quantum mechanics. Who found that this cartoon hilarious.

Many World Quantum Interpretation-Talk Like A Physicist

credits to TalkLikeAPhysicists.com

Favourite Puzzles

The unique thing about every newspaper is the publisher can put up some puzzles just to spice things up for the reader to be acquainted with more than just a news and report scenes. The famous one would be the cross puzzle, match and found the different of two 'alike' but not quite picture and so on. However the best thing in every newspaper in town (Montreal) would be the Sudoku. Yeah... There's always a Sudoku in paper like the Metro (French) and also the Gazzette.

Anywhere in town, especially in the metro subway, one can find people of any age will try to solve out Sudoku. Some are really an old old people. They seem enjoy doing it. Me too, there's even an evil Sudoku to be tried out if one has already being the master and trying to go next level up. Just google into sudoku, tons of related link will be appeared.

The other puzzle that I would like to highlight would be the spider solitaire. hehe... And I just found out that my nice friend Valerie also share the same interest. She played the game once a while in between her research works .

You know, doing theoretical, one need to read a lot and also spending most of his/her time working out the solutions. Which some of them takes longer time then ever just try to work it out. Plus siting in front of the computer for like hours. So when our brain get a little of tired, I especially like to try to solve the spider solitaire. It works to ease the tiredness of the functions of my brain. At least to regain back my energy to continue doing what I've started earlier.