Tricki
a repository of mathematical know-how

Articles

Articlesort icon Created Updated
To make a function nicer without changing it much, convolve it with an approximate delta function 06/05/2009 - 12:57 11 years 11 weeks ago
To optimize a sum try making the terms roughly equal in size 24/04/2009 - 19:48 11 years 17 weeks ago
To prove convergence, find a rapidly converging subsequence 25/04/2009 - 17:06 11 years 15 weeks ago
To prove facts about Borel sets, use closure properties 05/05/2009 - 14:47 11 years 14 weeks ago
To prove facts about finite groups, use induction on the order 19/04/2009 - 15:28 11 years 16 weeks ago
To prove that a number is irrational, show that it is almost rational 05/05/2009 - 10:44 10 years 27 weeks ago
To prove that a sequence converges, find one or more convergent subsequences 25/04/2009 - 17:04 11 years 17 weeks ago
To prove that a set is open or closed, use basic theorems rather than direct arguments 13/05/2009 - 23:48 11 years 14 weeks ago
To prove that two objects are equal show that in enough circumstances they behave in the same way 19/04/2009 - 14:51 11 years 18 weeks ago
To prove that two real numbers are equal, prove that neither is greater than the other 07/12/2008 - 20:47 11 years 16 weeks ago
To represent one object as combinations of another, try averaging the latter object using the symmetries of the former 22/05/2009 - 19:44 11 years 13 weeks ago
To show that a group element is non-trivial, show that it has a non-trivial action or image 30/04/2009 - 19:31 11 years 15 weeks ago
To simplify a closed subset of the plane, approximate it using a grid of squares 08/05/2009 - 12:46 10 years 3 weeks ago
To understand an object, consider treating it as one of a family of objects and analysing the family 25/04/2009 - 18:39 11 years 17 weeks ago
To work out powers mod n, use repeated squaring 10/05/2009 - 16:43 11 years 15 weeks ago
Transfinite induction 02/01/2009 - 01:44 5 years 44 weeks ago
Transform equation to reach a solved pattern 06/07/2009 - 18:42 11 years 1 week ago
Treat an explicit but messy function abstractly 21/04/2009 - 00:15 11 years 18 weeks ago
Try to prove a stronger result 25/11/2011 - 02:27 8 years 39 weeks ago
Turn sets into functions 14/12/2008 - 11:55 10 years 18 weeks ago
Universal constructions 08/12/2008 - 14:50 11 years 11 weeks ago
Unusual choices of probability distribution 29/03/2009 - 22:37 11 years 21 weeks ago
Use an appropriate series expansion 24/04/2009 - 15:57 11 years 15 weeks ago
Use an approximation as if it were exact 11/05/2009 - 14:25 11 years 15 weeks ago
Use analytic expressions of constraints in sums or integrals 05/04/2009 - 10:29 11 years 20 weeks ago