5 ms·

Problem 1.1 seems to be within the realm of casual curiosity for somebody who hasn't even entered undergraduate school. It's basically "I know what a matrix is,

Problem 1.1 seems to be within the realm of casual curiosity for somebody who hasn't even entered undergraduate school. It's basically "I know what a matrix is, and how a matrix multiplies with a vector".

ninjin 10y ago
The general structure of the problems is that they start out with easy questions and get progressively more difficult. If you don't get a single "last question" right, the committee will most likely tear you to pieces. At least this was the common understanding back when I was at Todai. Fun random fact, back in 2009 Todai had their own "brand" of toilet paper made from recycled paper -- old archived exams that is. I think that I still have a roll stashed away in a box somewhere. Using it did give you a bit of a weird feeling knowing the anguish old students must have gone through.
- _pmf_ 10y ago
  > Fun random fact, back in 2009 Todai had their own "brand" of toilet paper made from recycled paper -- old archived exams that is. I think that I still have a roll stashed away in a box somewhere. Using it did give you a bit of a weird feeling knowing the anguish old students must have gone through. That's delectably inhumane.
- startupdiscuss 10y ago
  Wait, so you didn't have to get them all right? And this is admission to Graduate School, so the equivalent of a M.Sc. or Phd in the US, right? (i.e. Is the term graduate school the same or is this entrance to college?)
  - thearn4 10y ago
    It seems reasonable to me. Certainly, even if you don't get all of the questions correctly, this exam tells you more about the proficiency of a candidate than a standard graduate school exam like the GRE (in the US) does. Especially if a student can explain some reasoning for incomplete problems.
    - startupdiscuss 10y ago
      I was relieved to hear it. I just thought that maybe they could fill out their class with perfect scores.
  - ninjin 10y ago
    > Wait, so you didn't have to get them all right? I am not sure when this would even be desirable. If a student fails a question regarding a definition (simple, memorisation) and succeeds in proving the complexity of a novel algorithm (complex, innovation). Why would I emphasise the former? Besides, there are your grades and the presentation/interview as well -- at least for the PhD. > And this is admission to Graduate School, so the equivalent of a M.Sc. or Phd in the US, right? (i.e. Is the term graduate school the same or is this entrance to college?) Yes, that is correct. If I remember correctly, they use the same exam for the MSc and PhD.
    - startupdiscuss 10y ago
      I just imagined that the competitive pressures would be so great that all the people who got in would get them all right.
ClassyJacket 10y ago
Only vaguely related, but I've made it all the way through high school (doing the 2 hardest of three maths subjects) and a software development degree without ever having a lesson on Matrices. There really seems to be a hole in the system somewhere.
- jandrese 10y ago
  You missed Algebra?
- umanwizard 10y ago
  What country did you go to high school in? I could kinda imagine what you say happening in the US, but calling it "maths" instead of "math" implies you're elsewhere.
- 27182818284 10y ago
  I mean, yeah and I never use an array ints since school, but I still work as a developer. However, I'm sure some folks in other areas certainly do. I'm not sure anymore as I get older that it is really a hole in a negative way. Like yes, it is a hole, but you know, you can't learn everything in your finite time.
- microcolonel 10y ago
  Yeah, matrices are also very useful. Instead of needing the "Tribonacci" equation definition, you can approximate or exactly match a large number of equations and operations with matrices. Anyway, there are many things missing. I feel that An Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning should be standard middle-school reading; but alas, civics has not been part of the curriculum in my life time.

ninjin 10y ago

The general structure of the problems is that they start out with easy questions and get progressively more difficult. If you don't get a single "last question" right, the committee will most likely tear you to pieces. At least this was the common understanding back when I was at Todai. Fun random fact, back in 2009 Todai had their own "brand" of toilet paper made from recycled paper -- old archived exams that is. I think that I still have a roll stashed away in a box somewhere. Using it did give you a bit of a weird feeling knowing the anguish old students must have gone through.

_pmf_ 10y ago
> Fun random fact, back in 2009 Todai had their own "brand" of toilet paper made from recycled paper -- old archived exams that is. I think that I still have a roll stashed away in a box somewhere. Using it did give you a bit of a weird feeling knowing the anguish old students must have gone through. That's delectably inhumane.
startupdiscuss 10y ago
Wait, so you didn't have to get them all right? And this is admission to Graduate School, so the equivalent of a M.Sc. or Phd in the US, right? (i.e. Is the term graduate school the same or is this entrance to college?)
- thearn4 10y ago
  It seems reasonable to me. Certainly, even if you don't get all of the questions correctly, this exam tells you more about the proficiency of a candidate than a standard graduate school exam like the GRE (in the US) does. Especially if a student can explain some reasoning for incomplete problems.
  - startupdiscuss 10y ago
    I was relieved to hear it. I just thought that maybe they could fill out their class with perfect scores.
- ninjin 10y ago
  > Wait, so you didn't have to get them all right? I am not sure when this would even be desirable. If a student fails a question regarding a definition (simple, memorisation) and succeeds in proving the complexity of a novel algorithm (complex, innovation). Why would I emphasise the former? Besides, there are your grades and the presentation/interview as well -- at least for the PhD. > And this is admission to Graduate School, so the equivalent of a M.Sc. or Phd in the US, right? (i.e. Is the term graduate school the same or is this entrance to college?) Yes, that is correct. If I remember correctly, they use the same exam for the MSc and PhD.
  - startupdiscuss 10y ago
    I just imagined that the competitive pressures would be so great that all the people who got in would get them all right.

ClassyJacket 10y ago

Only vaguely related, but I've made it all the way through high school (doing the 2 hardest of three maths subjects) and a software development degree without ever having a lesson on Matrices. There really seems to be a hole in the system somewhere.

jandrese 10y ago
You missed Algebra?
umanwizard 10y ago
What country did you go to high school in? I could kinda imagine what you say happening in the US, but calling it "maths" instead of "math" implies you're elsewhere.
27182818284 10y ago
I mean, yeah and I never use an array ints since school, but I still work as a developer. However, I'm sure some folks in other areas certainly do. I'm not sure anymore as I get older that it is really a hole in a negative way. Like yes, it is a hole, but you know, you can't learn everything in your finite time.
microcolonel 10y ago
Yeah, matrices are also very useful. Instead of needing the "Tribonacci" equation definition, you can approximate or exactly match a large number of equations and operations with matrices. Anyway, there are many things missing. I feel that An Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning should be standard middle-school reading; but alas, civics has not been part of the curriculum in my life time.