Comics about mathematics, science, and the student life.

The Scientific Jungle

On the left, the city represents lecture notes and textbooks, the suburbs are advanced courses and internships, the campers are graduate school, and the tent is research.

“When no one can answer your questions, you’re getting close!”

(Originally part of my post on ErrantScience Clutter.)

09 Nov 2018

Productive Breaks

Two students discuss their homework. One student mentions how they stopped after five minutes, and calls it "subconsciously mulling it over".

“The best thinkers always figured out the solution to their problems when they weren’t working. I’m just trying to emulate them!”

07 Nov 2018

Influence

Two graphs. One shows what we perceive to be our influence, while the second shows that our influence reaches further than we realized.

We influence so many people that we never hear from ever again or know existed that it’s kind of amazing to think about.

05 Nov 2018

By Inspection

The differential equation for oscillatory motion is on the board. The professor explains that the solution is clear by inspection, when really it's the years of experience that makes it clear.

“You don’t see it? But it’s jumping out right at you!”

02 Nov 2018

Your Turn

Despite being frustrated as undergraduates, we do the same thing as our professors later on.

The cycle continues.

31 Oct 2018

Procedure

Student thinks their piece doesn't fit in the machine, but they don't realize that a rotation would do the trick.

I try not to be too cynical about early mathematics education, but I really dislike when we try and split a concept into distinct “parts”. The end result is that students don’t recognize that some procedures are part of the same idea.

29 Oct 2018

Extra Step

Student walks down the staircase, thinking there are only two steps to go when really there are three left.

It’s like a staircase that always has one more step than the last time you used it.

26 Oct 2018

Thicket

Student tries to hack through the thick grass, unable to figure out where they are.

“If only I remembered to pack my lawn mower.”

24 Oct 2018

Divergence of the Undergrad

Students are running away from a professor in the radial direction.

I won’t make a claim for this joke. I first heard it from one of my professors, and haven’t forgotten it since.

22 Oct 2018

Patching

The dream is that someone gives you a luxury car that works well, while the reality is that the bicycle tire gets patched.

“If you want the full service, I can even adjust the seat post!”

19 Oct 2018