bodner088

You can solve any math problem if you know the formula (i.e., the proven shortcut to arriving at the answer without the need for giant chain calculations). These formulas are like keys to unlocking the secrets of arithmetic and mathematical puzzles and riddles. The tougher issues are those of knowing how to conduct a search (knowing the right search engine parameters to enter (hint: a Google search might be a good idea for your first pass at "asking a question " without asking a question) and finding the right formula to apply. This process sharpens your mind in that it requires that you 1 ) identify the problem; 2 ) formulate a question; 3 ) construct an efficient search engine query; and 4 ) glance through at least a small number of sites or articles about the issue which you want to address. Every one of these steps ratchets up a whole menu of cognitive skills to a higher level. Solving the problem is merely the proverbial icing atop the cake [an inexcusably cheap me...

Image via Wikipedia  - Rene Descartes : philosopher, mathematician, theoretical physicist, and a fellow with an unkempt but nonetheless fascinating hairstyle. Most individuals don't actually understand the distinction between teaching (a third-person exercise) and learning (a first-person exercise).  When a wise philosopher [ most philosophers are assumed to be wise -- this is principally out of respect, I believe, for any person with the wondrous ability to a ) survive without actually having to either earn a living by some sort of work, or b ) with the good fortune to be leisurely whittling away at a substantial familial inheritance while pontificating about whatever happens to be on his or her mind ] said to one of his disciples ( every successful philosopher worth his weight in either hemlock or horse manure must have disciples ): " I will teach you nothing. And you will learn much from me," he was not even stating a clever paradox. There actually is no puzzle o...

Your mental capacity , plasticity, memory, recall and deductive reasoning are all dramatically enhanced by your ability to recognize patterns and to extrapolate (or generalize) from them. In some cerebral circles, the NICs ( nerds-in-charge ) refer to this phenomenon as "learning a rule." This notion has great applicability in the world of artificial intelligence (AI) , but it is the shining key to a means of improving our own intelligence as well as increasing the actual speed of thought . Imagine being able to think faster because you are able to make 'connections' more rapidly? This skill is valuable to cultivate. Not surprisingly, it is a skill that can be improved by simple exercise. Pattern recognition skills are involved in every aspect of gaming, athletics, problem-solving and life.  The more different (and complex) patterns that we are able to recognize from prior exposure, the easier and faster it will be for us to recognize new patterns. By the way, s...