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Street-Fighting Mathematics (2008) (ocw.mit.edu)
91 points by rzk on June 20, 2024 | hide | past | favorite | 8 comments



Previous time it got posted had some good comments -> https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23637629


The one thing I remember from this is dimensional analysis. An awesome tool.

You can use the units of the inputs to make sure that the output makes sense (e.g. if there's seconds in the numerator, and seconds*2 in the denominator, the result should have a unit of seconds).

You can also use it to help remember a formula that you forgot part of.


“Ah you think mathematics are your ally? You merely adopted mathematics. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see physics or biology until I was already an undergrad, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!”



author has a book too, I haven't read it but thought I'd link it: https://www.amazon.com/Street-Fighting-Mathematics-Educated-...


It's the same resource--he gives it away for free, but you can buy the book if you want (I did).


Guesstimation is also a good read




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