1
$\begingroup$

In this question, I have two ways of reconstructing signal from finite Fourier coefficients (0 to 4kHz only), one being the Fourier partial sum $S_f$ and other (math motivation of question) lets call $P_f$.

I have audio files corresponding to both and play them at the different, I intend to show $P_f$ sounds musch richer compared to $S_f$.

I wonder this does not hamper the readability and distract reader. Will this add motivation to mathematicians in general?

EDIT : after comment by Andy Putman, could someone please expand why "I don't think this would add much value to the question." This is actually a super interesting topic for me! (what draws attention from a mathematician?) and i'd like to know in this specific case. If something really works in a useful way, then One can seek venture funding rather than a proof from a mathematician. I seriously dislike that and am interested in prooving something before doing anything else. But something that is physically useful (suppose), wouldn't it not catch the attention of a relevant mathematician?

$\endgroup$
5
  • 6
    $\begingroup$ I don't think this would add much value to the question. I can see that you're frustrated with the lack of response. At this point, I don't think there is much you can do to improve this. Perhaps it is just a hard question (or at least one where the relevant people are not active on MO). $\endgroup$
    – Andy Putman
    Commented Jul 2, 2015 at 1:26
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Let me remind you of meta.mathoverflow.net/questions/1717 . Don't give up trying to make the problem more attractive. Also, accept that most of the MathOverflow community won't be affected by your attempts. As long as you meet community standards though, you needn't care about it. You need to find the one or two members who are interested. Keep looking, thinking, researching, and tweaking. Good luck ro you. $\endgroup$
    – The Masked Avenger
    Commented Jul 2, 2015 at 16:41
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Put another way, the number of "relevant mathematicians" is likely to be very small. You may need to do more than make MathOverflow posts to find one of them. $\endgroup$
    – The Masked Avenger
    Commented Jul 2, 2015 at 16:48
  • $\begingroup$ @AndyPutman When I look at websites of faculty at universities I see a lot of specializations. Wonder what specializations are closer and more likely to be concerned with this problem. $\endgroup$
    – Rajesh D
    Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 10:23
  • $\begingroup$ mathoverflow.net/a/210787/14414 $\endgroup$
    – Rajesh D
    Commented Jul 5, 2015 at 13:17

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
9
$\begingroup$

It is not all that rare to have a great question or research project that is very interesting on its own and has wonderful applications. No matter how genuinely you think you have a problem worth looking into for solid objective reasons, you should acknowledge that others may not feel the same. This doesn't mean that the problem is irrelevant, this just means that you haven't found a fellow mathematician with suitable interests. There is no guarantee that such a fellow exists on MathOverflow.

It seems that your question has been unable to find "a relevant mathematician", but judging by the amount of upvotes and comments, it hasn't gone unnoticed. It might be that some very relevant mathematicians have looked into your question and decided it is beyond their reach (and that it is beyond their resources to start actual research on it). It might also be that there simply is no relevant mathematician on MO, or, in the worst case, anywhere on the planet. Good or important questions don't always get the answer they deserve, and improving and motivating the question might not change that.

You will just have to accept that the MathOverflow community cannot deliver an answer to all problems, no matter how tractable or important you think it is. It is ok to ask for advice at meta, but complaints along the lines of "My question is very important and interesting. Why don't you guys agree and solve it?" are not very useful. (This is an exaggeration of the tone you used, but I believe it is this flavour that has earned you downvotes at meta.)

What can you do, then? Two things come to mind: First, try bringing your question up with mathematicians outside MO that you know to have relevant interests or skills. Second, try looking for simpler problems that you still can't solve or any kind of toy model of your question; if you can't solve them yourself, you can ask about them here or at MSE. Simple and short related questions help you in several ways: not only are they helpful steps towards understanding and solving a big problem, but they are also more likely to be read and answered by other people in the internet.

I can't comment on the importance or other aspects of your mathematical question. I'm yet another one of those mathematicians that are interested in something different and lack the knowledge to give a simple but very useful answer.

You are not alone with your situation: I don't ask many of the most interesting and important questions that arise in my research at MO. I know that to get a useful answer I'm usually much better off sending an email to a well-chosen colleague in my narrow field which is not well represented at MO. MO can't give everything I want, but I appreciate it for what it can give.

$\endgroup$
7
  • $\begingroup$ In my question "this is super interesting topic", "this" refers to the subject, what motivates a mathematician in general, and not my original question. Just a clarification that i am not self claiming that my question should be found interesting by all!. $\endgroup$
    – Rajesh D
    Commented Jul 2, 2015 at 21:31
  • $\begingroup$ Great answer and advice, need sometome to digest and grasp and learn. $\endgroup$
    – Rajesh D
    Commented Jul 2, 2015 at 21:32
  • $\begingroup$ I am highly indebted to MO and MSE, cant complain on them. $\endgroup$
    – Rajesh D
    Commented Jul 2, 2015 at 21:35
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ This entire piece of advice can be really just summed up in the words of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you might just might find you get what you need." $\endgroup$
    – Asaf Karagila Mod
    Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 7:55
  • $\begingroup$ @RajeshD, it doesn't change much if "this" is a broad subject rather than a single question or problem. The same thing can happen at different scales. (Also, I must admit that I knowingly exaggerated the tone of your meta posts. I did this to highlight what I think was the thing people disliked.) $\endgroup$
    – Joonas Ilmavirta
    Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 8:11
  • $\begingroup$ @JoonasIlmavirta When I look at websites of faculty at universities I see a lot of specializations. Wonder what specializations are closer and more likely to be concerned with this problem. $\endgroup$
    – Rajesh D
    Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 10:23
  • $\begingroup$ mathoverflow.net/a/210787/14414 $\endgroup$
    – Rajesh D
    Commented Jul 5, 2015 at 13:17

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .