A Guide to Mathematical Emotions
Ten invented words for emotions that come with doing math, from 'canceltharsis' (the joy of terms cancelling) to 'algebrage' (fury at a tiny algebra error).
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Cartoon by Ben Orlin, Math with Bad Drawings. https://cartoons.mathwithbaddrawings.com/2017-01-25-a-guide-to-mathematical-emotions/ (CC BY-NC 4.0)Transcript
[1] Canceltharsis: the immense and gratifying emotional release of terms cancelling out. "Hallelujah!" [Board: sin²x cos²x tan³x / (sin²x (1 − sin²x)(sec²x − 1)) = tan x]
[2] Foggy Summit: the befuddling experience of proving something true without really understanding why it's true. "I've reached the top… so why can't I see anything?"
[3] Nanotriumph: a small but nonzero victory. "Yes! I've proved that if my formula fails, it will do so for at least two values! Progress!"
[4] The Contradiction High: a lightheaded giddiness experienced after proving something that's obviously impossible. "But that means every square is a tiny pentagon…"
[5] Elegance Envy: the jealousy one feels upon seeing a quicker, more illuminating solution than one's own. "I'm so pleased with this proof." "OHHH…" "Hmmph."
[6] Algebrage: the incandescent anger one feels upon finally tracing hours of confusion and bewilderment back to a small algebraic error. "YOU. You did this to me, you insolent quadratic." [Paper: (x − 3)(x + 8) = x² − 11x − 24]
[7] Abstractitude Sickness: the disorientation and nausea of ascending to a new level of abstraction. "A vector space of functions? Oog… I don't feel so good."
[8] Explagony: the sinking realization, as you attempt to explain your breakthrough to someone else, that you're actually 100% wrong. "And then you multiply the… um…" "Wait…" "It was all a lie…"
[9] The Flatlander's Glimpse: the wondrous sensation, however brief, of having successfully imagined an extra spatial dimension. "Whoa… hypercubes…"
[10] Brainfished: the feeling of having bitten down on a problem, and now being at the mercy of whatever mathematical force is holding the rod. "Ooh! I got one!"