Linear algebra nostalgia

So I was thinking about linear algebra (mainly how I've forgotten most of it!), which got me thinking about Jim, which got me searching for the list of quotes I compiled during that class, which made me feel like posting them here, since presumably the site he had them on is no longer in existance. So without further ado, some pearls of wisdom from Math 16H, Fall 2004...

You just know these n values, and now you know everything!
Who knew it was that simple?

It's good, but it's not Sundae Friday good.
Few things are.

I guess I'll call this a fact...
It's hard to tell sometimes.

There are terrifying lows and dizzying highs in linear algebra.
And people think math is so dry and boring...

The tricky part is struggling to figure out why what I say is not stupid.
The real challange of math class.

This statement is practically content-free.
"Practically", I suppose, being the operative word.

I'm gonna try to go the rest of the class without saying or writing anything that's wrong.
A noble goal.

You run into trouble here if you think too much.
Such is life.

Basically the problem is that infinity is weird.
Mathematicians like to use very defined, precise terminology.

What's similar about them is that they're similar.
Well, that explains it.

Mathematicians are handy 'cause we understand math.
It's true, what can I say?

If you get hung up on actual definitions you'll be in trouble.
Yeah man, just go with the flow...

Mathematicians don't go for that cutesy crap.
I think the people who do go for the cutesy crap in this case were physicists...silly physicists.

I don't claim to know what I'm doing.
It's good to be honest.

If you disagree with me, it's because you're stupid.
Yeah, that's how I typically feel.

The big problem is that your mom is not part of our vector space.
I don't even know what to say here...

They sound worse than they are because they've got this German name.
That'll do it.

(on complex eigenvalues)
Jim: It's child's play!
Student: Then how come they don't teach it in preschool?
Jim: It's not FUN child's play. *thinks for a moment* Actually it's kinda fun, if you're into that stuff.
Who'd want to play in the sandbox when they could be calculating complex eigenvalues?

Turns out there are a lot of real numbers.
"A lot" is a technical mathematical term, meaning a great heapin' boooonza pile.

Jim: A lot of math is seeing patterns and then guessing that they might always be true.
Student: And then you're done?
Jim: No, that's physics.
Ooooh, harsh.

Basically, you can't win, don't try.
How discouraging.

(on the fact that all symmetric matrices are orthogonally diagonalizable) Our cup runneth over!
He got very excited by orthogonal diagonalization...

If someone asks you to orthogonally diagonalize a matrix that's not symmetric, you should spit in their face.
Oh hell yeah.

And of course, my favorite:
There are lots of things that are obvious that are not true.

Ahhh...I miss that class.