Introducing The Deranged Mathematician

A preview of what is coming

Welcome!

This is a Substack devoted to what I like to call “variety mathematical content.” Some of the topics I plan to cover include:

1. Applications of pure mathematics: e.g., how do things like group theory, linear algebra, analysis, and the like actually find uses for solving practical problems?

2. How can one learn mathematics effectively, especially in proof-based courses?

3. What kind of fun things does mathematics allow us to prove?

4. What is the history of mathematics and mathematicians? What interesting stories are there to tell?

Some of this will be taken or adapted from the writing that I did on Quora for many, many years (which earned me the Top Writer accolade while that still existed). But it will be edited and expanded, with many new illustrations, and sorted so that it is easier to search through. And there will be plenty of completely original posts as well—for example, I plan to write a post about the video that I co-produced with Grant Sanderson (of 3Blue1Brown fame) on the hairy ball theorem.

If you want to learn a little bit more about who I am, the About page has a brief synopsis. You can also look at my website, which gives more details about my past mathematical work. Or dive straight into the archives!