through practice is a gain in Gc, accessing the solutions from
problems at rote, when the problems the Olympiads have to deal with
are instead very novel. Perhaps it's a slight gain in calculation
proficiency but I've done a lot of math problems while not necessarily
improving on that front; nor is calculating math and math calculation.
If we're looking at practicing more problems as generating an
inventory to flip through, he's somewhat covered that with Anki.
Perhaps it's more efficient to allocate time devoted to training each
individual resource than exercising them all at once, which from a
plasticity standpoint isn't preferable anyway (Newsweek covered this I
believe -- monkeys doing two things at once or doing one thing they
mastered weren't receiving any particular benefit).
On May 29, 12:41 am, brain train <brain.train...@gmail.com> wrote:
> no matter how intelligent you become, you can't substitute practice with
> anything else to gain speed.
> there are many people who are much more intelligent than toppers of such
> exams but get low scores just because they couldn't attempt all the
> questions- just because they were slow.
> knowing how to solve is not enough for such competitive exams (that is the
> very basic requirement, and a prerequisite if you are aiming for high rank),
> how quickly you can solve these questions make the difference between
> getting good rank and not so good rank!
>
> and for improving speed, practice is essential... it may be very boring
> thing to do, to solve a question again which you already have solved
> sometime back, or to solve a problem which you know for sure that you can
> solve. after all you are aiming is to beat others at some task which many
> others are capable of, you are not aiming to push the limits of a field.
>
> as far as ability to think (to work out a solution) is concerned.. covering
> a wide variety of problems would help more here. because if you are exposed
> to a similar problem already, finding solution would be easier for you. i
> guess trying to invent a solution for first time in the examination hall is
> a disaster, as it may suck all the time.. and leaves a person worried and
> less capable to solve remaining questions.
>
> dnb is likely to help if there is a specific deficit which needs to be
> addressed first.. if working memory is poorer than others.
>
> even in this case, dnb would help but it wouldn't be able to replace heavy
> practice. period.
>
> On Sun, May 29, 2011 at 12:40 PM, Darius Malik <malikdari...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > N-back has a small chance for a big payoff because the relatively
> > little of it I've done seems to have had large effects, and the
> > community here does not seem to have gotten anywhere near testing its
> > limits. 100 sessions a day might turn me into superman.
>
> > Telling me to solve more problems (INSTEAD OF solving a few problems
> > and doing lots of n-back) sounds like telling your army to practise
> > aiming their rifles. That's nice and all, but what if the other guys
> > have nukes?
>
> > The top people at the olympiads don't just do what I do faster and
> > better, they do things on a different level entirely. Part of this
> > 'different level' is knowing how to think through problems of course,
> > but I think it largely comes down to a fluid intelligence difference.
>
> > On May 29, 2:20 am, Arkanj3l <kenneth.bruskiew...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Ah, but what's your basis for these predictions?
>
> > > On May 28, 4:39 am, Darius Malik <malikdari...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > Thanks for the advice Magnus; I have heard the same from other people
> > > > familiar with the olympiads.
>
> > > > However:
> > > > - You have observed that solving lots of problems helps with problem-
> > > > solving.
> > > > - As far as I can tell you have _not_ observed that doing n-back does
> > > > _not_ help with problem-solving.
>
> > > > Both of these (that solving problems helps, that n-back may or may not
> > > > help significantly) were already known to me.
> > > > So your post does not much change my view that lots of n-back is
> > > > probably a worthwhile thing.
>
> > > > N-back is something with a small chance of a big payoff (in problem-
> > > > solving ability); solving more problems (in place of n-back) has a
> > > > large chance of a medium-small payoff.
> > > > So whether n-back is worthwhile depends on how much you value
> > > > different levels of success. If it's concave down (10 units of success
> > > > is 1 unit of utility, 100 units of success is 2 units of utility, ...)
> > > > then I should probably go with more problems in place of n-back. If
> > > > it's concave up then n-back is probably better. I think it's concave
> > > > up.
>
> > > > On May 27, 8:05 am, Magnus <trueba...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > As someone who have some experience with training olympiad teams for
> > > > > mathematics and programming I have some tips. Do problems, do
> > > > > problems, do problems. Become active atwww.artofproblemsolving.com,
> > > > > and try to help out with problems there, and post when you're stuck.
>
> > > > > Go through books on problem solving. Do old IMO problems. I don't
> > > > > believe that all this n-back or something will really help you that
> > > > > much, just focus on learning math and coding. Find books just
> > slightly
> > > > > above your level, or material. Kiran Kedlaya has great stuff about
> > > > > Geometry (Geometry unbound is a classic, but at quite a high level),
> > > > > and inequalities.
>
> > > > > So to summarize, do as much math and coding as you can, and hope for
> > > > > the best. I don't think you should spend time on n-back.
>
> > > > > On May 24, 9:00 pm, Darius Malik <malikdari...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > Lately I've resolved to try harder at teaching myself math and
> > > > > > algorithm-coding so I have a better shot at the international
> > > > > > olympiads for math and programming (IMO and IOI). These basically
> > > > > > involve getting, say, three really hard math or programming
> > problems
> > > > > > and trying your best to solve them within 5 hours.
>
> > > > > > What recommendations do you guys have for improving problem-solving
> > > > > > ability, in general and specifically for olympiad-type
> > environments?
> > > > > > How should I practise math and CS, and what other stuff should I
> > do?
> > > > > > Right now my day consists of:
> > > > > > - school (6 hours)
> > > > > > - Anki reps (10-100 minutes)
> > > > > > - n-back (20 sessions; I do position-color 8-back)
> > > > > > - Learning math and coding
> > > > > > - cycling (~ 1 hour 3 times a week)
> > > > > > - weight-training (~20 minutes daily)
> > > > > > I've also been experimenting with cycling caffeine, weekends on,
> > > > > > weekdays off; this seems to work really well - I can do more work
> > at
> > > > > > home and less work at school. IOW, I am most productive exactly
> > when
> > > > > > it matters most :)
> > > > > > Since I'm vegetarian, I've also taken Jonathan's advice and am
> > cycling
> > > > > > creatine.
>
> > > > > > Also, what is the best sort of training I can do at school? In
> > South
> > > > > > Africa there are no honors classes, so I can basically pay
> > literally
> > > > > > no attention and still get acceptable marks. I've been trying
> > mental
> > > > > > arithmetic, writing shorthand (look up 'Gregg shorthand' on
> > > > > > wikipedia), writing with my non-dominant hand, and trying to solve
> > > > > > hard math problems (or just exploring math, for instance, for which
> > n
> > > > > > is 1!+2!+...+n! a square, or a cube, etc.). Bonus points if I can
> > do
> > > > > > the exercise while looking like I am blankly staring off into
> > space.
>
> > > > > > Thanks in advance :)
>
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