Week in Review: Work
Apr. 18th, 2010 12:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowI spent most of last week (so far as work is concerned) trying to extend my theorem further. I made good progress, especially after a consultation with W - there was a certain phenomenon that could interfere with my line of argument, but after some discussion he and I agreed that it couldn't happen. Encouraged by this, I pushed on, and on Friday presented what I'd learned to our group. After I finished, T pointed to a picture I'd drawn on the board and said, "I'm sorry, I don't get this."
It was the point that W and I had discussed earlier. I started explaining again, then stopped in puzzlement. W frowned and said, "Nope, that adds up to zero, not 2 pi." I stared at the picture, made some tentative marks, and finally said, "Crap."
That blew a hole in my argument. About half of it was salvageable, but the rest remains in limbo. I still think it's true, mind you, but after a couple of days' thought I don't see any way to prove it.
We've still got enough material for a couple of papers, which we'll begin writing up this summer. (Finals are only a couple of weeks off, so time is tight at the moment.) I still want that extra bit, though.
It was the point that W and I had discussed earlier. I started explaining again, then stopped in puzzlement. W frowned and said, "Nope, that adds up to zero, not 2 pi." I stared at the picture, made some tentative marks, and finally said, "Crap."
That blew a hole in my argument. About half of it was salvageable, but the rest remains in limbo. I still think it's true, mind you, but after a couple of days' thought I don't see any way to prove it.
We've still got enough material for a couple of papers, which we'll begin writing up this summer. (Finals are only a couple of weeks off, so time is tight at the moment.) I still want that extra bit, though.
