Mathematics is Hard Work, Not Genius

What I fight against most in some sense, [when talking to the public,] is the kind of message, for example as put out by the film Good Will Hunting, that there is something you're born with and either you have it or you don't. That's really not the experience of mathematicians. We all find it difficult, it's not that we're any different from someone who struggles with maths problems in third grade. It's really the same process. We're just prepared to handle that struggle on a much larger scal...

 Ways to Tackle a Problem

If a problem seems familiar, try reasoning by Analogy.  If you solved a similar one in the past, and can adapt to thedifferences, you may be able to re-use that solution.  If the problem still seems too hard, divide it into several parts.  Every difference you recognize may suggest a separate subproblem to solve. If it seems unfamiliar, change how you’re describing it. Find a different description that highlights more relevant information. If you get too many ideas, then focus on ...