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Gifted and talented

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Original poster

omg. Ds1 amazed his maths teacher with some pythagorean triple thingy

52 replies

Piffle · 16/06/2008 18:34

over my pretty little head obviously but they were doing pythagorean triples( whatever they are) and ds1 came up with some formula about primitive Pythagorean triples and a way of ensuring the hypoteneuse and adjacent side are consecutive.
the teacher could not disprove it and recommended ds1 write to Cambridge professor to ask them to review it.
holy shit!
he is 14 yr9 and I'm damn proud! If a little ignorant
one of the best letters home EVER
teacher genuinely excited!

OP posts:
PandaG · 17/06/2008 08:17

Wow piff - how fab! well done piffle major!

(DH read maths at Cambridge...I will ask him later to explain the incomprehensible words to me!)

Original poster
Piffle · 17/06/2008 09:38

his dad twig? No way its all down to me me me
you know this is true!

Fwiw we think it unlikely to be a new formula... But the fact that he thought of it independently is pretty special apparently, well according to maths teacher.
Dp has promised to scrutinise it tonight...
I will blink nicely and feign comprehension!
wine needed I think!

OP posts:
GooseyLoosey · 17/06/2008 09:49

Wow, thats fab.

If he is nervous about writing to Cambridge, DH works at a very highly rated uni for maths (top 5) and the mathematicians are just down the hall from him, I'm sure he would pass it on if your ds was interested.

Original poster
Piffle · 17/06/2008 09:55

wow thanks goosey!
am talking with head of maths later to double check it as ds1s maths teacher might not be sharp enough. He well might be too but best check.
Then assume school letterhead would be correct protocol rather than personal... That way school name gets visibility there too?
am thinking too much... Stage mom

OP posts:
edam · 17/06/2008 10:06

Aw, you have every right to be stage mum-ish about this, sounds very exciting. What a clever lad! Coming up with his own theorum is very impressive.

Gosh, fingers crossed the head of maths confirms this is v. clever.

Enid · 17/06/2008 10:11

well done PiffBoy!

How proud you must be.

Original poster
Piffle · 17/06/2008 10:12

me too or will feel a right knob end!!!

OP posts:
edam · 17/06/2008 10:15

Even if head of maths is less excited, it would still be VERY cool to have done something so clever it went beyond his own maths teacher. But I bet the head will be! And how exciting for them to have such a creative student. Nails the myth that maths isn't.

Agree with Twig, ability with maths is related to music, btw. It's about patterns, I think. And intervals. And stuff I don't understand myself!

SixSpotBurnet · 17/06/2008 10:16

Wow - brilliant!

GooseyLoosey · 17/06/2008 10:16

Think I would put it on school letterhead.

Way to go Piffle junior!

Litchick · 17/06/2008 14:36

A mate of mine who is a maths genius works for a hedge fund. He does the calculations of likelihood of making gazillions for them.
And he gets a % of what they make so in turn makes gazillions himself.
Not bad for the nerdy geek with odd hair and a stutter.
HB x

Original poster
Piffle · 17/06/2008 16:57

ahhh ds1 is no nerd imo, tall good looking ( well the string of girls pursuing him suggests that) he does concede to being a bit of a geek though!!!
no call from teacher yet grrr
my mum mentioned how much actuariesget paid and his eyes lit up! He somewhat maturely said that doing that degree and job might give him the freedom to pursue his loves....
My brother is an associate director of a japanese investment bank too and has offered career guidance which mostly involves ds1 not giving up Mandarin ( he has done for 3 years) apparently this can add more zeros than you can imagine....
my baby boy fgs my BABYI

OP posts:
Litchick · 17/06/2008 20:36

A maths genius and cute with it...now that's just greedy.

Original poster
Piffle · 17/06/2008 20:43

and he makes us tea in bed on a weekend...gets ds2 15mths up and breakfasted along with dd 5.5yrs
see he is wonderful....
I'm blessed

OP posts:
nervousal · 17/06/2008 20:49

do you want to swap?? You can have my dd? On second thoughts you can have DP

Original poster
Piffle · 17/06/2008 20:52

oh and although I am
loathe to boast
he is gifted in all his subjects
maths is something he can do, he is quite derisory about his liking of it!!!

OP posts:
edam · 20/06/2008 09:17

Piffle, come back! What did the head of maths say? Dying to know...

StealthPolarBear · 20/06/2008 09:39

Fantastic - I'd love to know his formula!

FluffyMummy123 · 20/06/2008 09:42

Message withdrawn

edam · 20/06/2008 13:03

bump for Piffle - I want to KNOW!

Original poster
Piffle · 20/06/2008 13:56

aha
right maths head reviewed said he liked it a lot.
tis not a formula but a theory about certain numbers one of them being prime and another consecutive would happen. So a theory from observation if you will.
the Cambridge bit comes from a note to schools with gifted maths students to identify them to Cambridge so they can recruit them as maths degree applicants are falling and gifted maths kids are pursuing other degrees.

So this is the crux. Spoke to millenium maths project folks at Cambridge today and ds1 is to get involved. Essentially it can lead to a pre approved place into maths at cambridge providing he gets A or A*
teacher said ds1 had a very creative approach to maths compared to many...
ds1 did say he did think it was cool but not that special.. But Cambridge seemed v impressed!
wow
his lifelong dream
could come true
I could cry really. Am so proud of him
but it is from me you know too. I single parented him for 6 years. Ok he was born clever but i know that my nurture made his nature shine.
gosh not that I'm blowing my own trumpet or anything
funny too
dd is 5.5 and I was told yesterday she appears highly gifted at numeracy as well, solving complex number puzzles etc
farking hell
different fathers plus she was born with noonan syndrome and has some difficulties.
she too is bloody cool
might Market my breastmilk whaddya reckon?

OP posts:
edam · 20/06/2008 14:14

Brilliant! Am so glad his teacher was right and ds's ideas are special.

Not sure I'd go as far as buying some b/m from you but you are clearly doing lots right with your pair of cleverclogs. So much for all those people who sneer at single parents, huh?

I love the idea of maths creativity because it's so far beyond my understanding, being an arty type who was turned off maths because it seemed to be very dull.

RosaLuxembunting · 20/06/2008 14:17

Well done to your DS, Piffle. How fab to see talent being recognised.

Rosylily · 20/06/2008 18:56

That's lovely Piffle

pourmeabigone · 09/07/2008 22:56

Piffle, a similar thing happened to my Dad yrs ago when he was studying at college aged 17. He pointed out to the visiting professor that his formulae was wrong. The professor let him explain why and said wow I have been using it for yrs too and nobody has ever pointed that out before. The upshot was Dad was offered a place at the professor's university on that evening alone regardless of results. Unfortunately my gran and grandad couldnt afford to send him!!!
Dad made a pretty good career for himself though, and yes a good mathematical brain can be very lucrative .
Well done sonofpiffle