Applied Minds

[Jakelaker]

Having an applied mind is necessary for having a career in quantitative finance.

Specifically, how do you apply mathematics to the real world on a daily basis? In other words, how do you train your ability to apply mathematical theory?

 

[Daniel Duffy]

Study mathematics.
And Philosophy and History are good ways to learn analytical thinking. Not CS.

Polya has some nice heuristics.

How to Solve It - Wikipedia

 

[Jakelaker]

I put it too broadly. Assume that the person know mathematical theory. What would he do to train the ability to apply it to the real world?

It's not at all obvious where to apply, for example, eigenvalues/eigenvectors when you step out of class. Is it just practicing and thinking differently about the concepts until you magically see application?

 

[Daniel Duffy]

Is it just practicing and thinking differently about the concepts until you magically see application?

In a lot of cases, yes
The harder you try the luckier you get; try 9 times and fail, try #10 and Eureka :D

 

[tfors]

Study mathematics.
And Philosophy and History are good ways to learn analytical thinking. Not CS.

Polya has some nice heuristics.

How to Solve It - Wikipedia

Awesome, just requested it at the library.