Quiz for:
The Joy of Why – Terence Tao on Good Mathematics

Question 1

How has the attitude towards publication and sharing of mathematical work shifted, according to Tao?

Question 2

What historical example does Tao use to illustrate the impact of elegant mathematics on real-world applications?

Question 3

What analogy does Tao use to describe the potential for amateur involvement in mathematics through AI?

Question 4

What analogy does Terence Tao use to describe the nature of making connections in mathematics?

Question 5

What is Tao's optimistic view about the future of mathematics?

Question 6

What ensures the 'realness' of mathematics according to Tao’s philosophy?

Question 7

What problem may emerge from overly abstract mathematical proofs, according to Tao?

Question 8

What is one crucial aspect of good mathematics that Terence Tao emphasizes?

Question 9

During the Bourbaki era, which mathematical fields were primarily focused on abstraction?

Question 10

What significant improvement in medical technology was achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration mentioned by Tao?

Question 11

How does Terence Tao view the role of empirical grounding in mathematics?

Question 12

Which essay does Terence Tao reference when discussing the effectiveness of mathematics in physical sciences?

Question 13

What is a significant cultural shift in mathematics that Terence Tao mentions?

Question 14

What are the primary qualities Terence Tao identifies as defining good mathematics?

Question 15

What type of professionals are 'foxes' in Terence Tao’s analogy?

Question 16

What does Tao use as an initial resource to start learning about new subjects?