
What do grad students in math do all day? - ColinWright
https://gist.github.com/4158578
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georgeorwell
> OK, so then, after more thinking and doing some research on extension cords,
> you think it would be feasible to use a vacuum cleaner to clean the
> outdoors. You look in the literature, and it turns out that nobody's ever
> thought of doing that! You proudly tell this idea to your advisor, but they
> do some back of the envelope calculations that you don't really understand
> and tell you that vacuuming the outdoors is unlikely to be very useful.
> Something about how a vacuum cleaner is too small to handle the outdoors and
> that we already know about other tools that are much better equipped for
> cleaning streets and such.

<http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/6689183>

[https://lh3.ggpht.com/-AnVOwQYTNos/TcQqcMYp-
cI/AAAAAAAAAEw/2...](https://lh3.ggpht.com/-AnVOwQYTNos/TcQqcMYp-
cI/AAAAAAAAAEw/2rOYWsCQC4Y/s320/montreal+street+cleaners.jpg)

<http://www.fotopedia.com/items/4tg1q9r7sq5v1-yq8FXc45gIE>

[http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/johnston-
madvac/lt500-high...](http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/johnston-
madvac/lt500-high-capacity-mobile-vacuum/26093-137061.html)

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antsam
What do grad students in math do all day?

[http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%20exp%28-%28%28x-4%...](http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%20exp%28-%28%28x-4%29^2%2B%28y-4%29^2%29^2%2F1000%29%20%2B%20exp%28-%28%28x%2B4%29^2%2B%28y%2B4%29^2%29^2%2F1000%29%20%2B%200.1exp%28-%28%28x%2B4%29^2%2B%28y%2B4%29^2%29^2%29%2B0.1exp%28-%28%28x-4%29^2%2B%28y-4%29^2%29^2%29&meta=)

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hobbyist
I read that answer on quora too a couple of days back :)

