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.

Research Has Begun

Today I gave another presentation with my advisor together with his visiting scientist on a recent paper which I studies named "the group representation related to the Stockwell transform". After one year of registering into the program I am now working on my (advisor) topic of interest. This kind of transform is a new study in time-frequency analysis which are greatly important in areas like geophysics, biomedicine or engineering. I have started this work like three weeks now eventhough I haven't completed my maths comprehensive part.

Remember on previous post, I've been preparing for the Ph.D qualifying exams. Well, I just managed to perform in the physics parts, which it is natural for me to do so since I was graduated from physics background. But I sense that I somehow could not tolerate with this kind of situation (fail for the maths part, since I like maths a lot). Ouuh...may my likeness isn't enough. But the truth is I spend like 3 whole months preparing for the maths part ONLY. And it didn't work out.

I went to see the person who giving the grades for the exam and she showed me how I'm doing. She mentioned that I have no problem to use all the mathematical tools yet I having problem in terms of proving and analyzing mathematical statement. But she said that, it is OK since any physicist will not interested to know how functions behave accurately. Only mathematician do. But since I do mathematical physics, it is also natural for me to know both parts. I remember when my former supervisor told me quite a few times (for a theoretical physicist), about how he committed to physics more than maths. Maths is just a tool to solve physics problem. If you get stucked with the maths perhaps go back to the significant of the physical explaination on how one should tackle such problems. If oneself get 'carried away' with the maths part perhaps he or she should be working on the maths problem.

However, during the year I've learned that maths is just not for solving, it is philosophically a logic thinking. And I admit that I was so weak in that sense. Need to stay in the field long enough to get the feeling. Later on my advisor told me that it was just the past, and lets work on for the future. Some of the stuffs I've learned may not even used later on. For example physicist don't need to know measure theory (which happened to be the subject for the comprehensive). This told me that I still had a chance. If I get lucky I can still be continuing to this program. Or else I am preparing myself home for my country. My advisor is positive due to my continuing but I don't know how the university system works. Lets just hope for a positive outcomes.

I take it as it is and now started to spend time on research and Ph.D works. I don't get discouraged for what has happened and still carry one with what is in front of me now. Take every opportunities that I can get until it is been told to my face that 'it is the end of the world'.

p\s-Apart from the stuffs I've been studying for the maths comprehensive, I found that it really helps a lot while reading any mathematical physics journal. Especially in terms of notations and terminology.

Turkey and Thanksgiving

the 'the' turkey

This week we've been invited to attend to a thanksgiving party organized by my supervisor. This is our first time to actually being invited to a thanksgiving party. This is also our first time to get to see how the real turkey is prepared (one can read more on Thanksgiving here). Apart from the turkey (which was the main dishes), we also have a homemade cakes and beriani rice together with the cranberries jam and gravies for the turkey. We depart home at 8 p.m. after having a special coffee prepared by the host.

we took some pictures at the park nearby

No Heat Left

Its just the second day of October and it is still Fall. But the truth is I cannot feel any heat left. It's feels like the winter is very near. People especially pedestrian has started to wear more cloths than usual.

p/s- I remember I kept my head covered during the long night at home.

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.

Salam Perantauan...

We've finally made it this year for the Aidilfitri Salam Perantauan (credits to Kosmo.com.my)

SALAM Ramadan dan Aidilfitri 1430H kepada ibu dan ayah di Besut, Terengganu dan Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan (Masitah Sulaiman, Aziz Jusoh), (Norsimah Habib, Mohd. Shah Hussein), Mak Dik, Mak Mi, Mak Jan, Uncle Sham, Edan Farid, Azri, Mak Ton, Kak Ina, Edan, Zuwan, Kak Cik, Ana, Usmadi, Yusri, Yusnita, Tarmizi, Azwan dan sanak saudara tidak kira di mana sahaja berada. Untuk rakan-rakan di UKM (IMEN) dan UPM (Jabatan Fizik) juga kami menyusun sepuluh jari memohon ampun dan maaf.

Daripada:

MOHD. FAIZAL AZIZ, NURISYA MOHD. SHAH dan AIN EDLEEN MOHD. FAIZAL, Concordia University, Montreal, Kanada.

No Short Cut

I've been preparing myself for the comprehensive exam in the specialized part which is physics. Which means, I have to 'cover' my previous undergraduates study on classical mechanics (CM), electrodynamics (~EM) and quantum mechanics (QM) at the same time. They provide the textbooks plus the selected chapters to focus on. It looks impossible to do and create pressure at the same time. But earlier student proved that it can be done.

Looking at the selected chapters, I try to be as positive as I can in terms of grabbing any facts, techniques, method and everything which are important. Believed me there are so many (sigh). Also to be honest, there are some chapters which I don't remember myself ever went through. For example the WKB approximation in QM. Then I thought to save time, I can try to talk to my SV (who also the question maker) so maybe that few chapters can be excluded.

But the response was just

"well, try to look at it first"

An answer which I've expected. So bring it on (in a positive way)