Common Mathematical Phobias
Six invented phobias for mathematicians: noninvertible processes, sign errors, edge cases like 0⁰, Platonism, fractals and applications.
Use this cartoon
Free for classrooms, worksheets, slides and other non-commercial use under CC BY-NC 4.0, with credit to Ben Orlin.
Cartoon by Ben Orlin, Math with Bad Drawings. https://cartoons.mathwithbaddrawings.com/2021-01-01-common-mathematical-phobias/ (CC BY-NC 4.0)Transcript
[Title] "Common Mathematical Phobias"
Cannogobaccaphobia: fear of noninvertible processes ("Don't stir!") · Plassormynossaphobia: fear of sign errors ("radius = −7cm") · Exceptionaphobia: fear of edge cases (0⁰ = 1? 0⁰ = 0? 0⁰ = ???) · Philosophobia: fear of needing to defend Platonism in conversation ("But you SEEM so real…") · Zoominganzoomingphobia: fear of losing oneself in the contemplation of a fractal ("Brain… melting…") · Nautewsfillaphobia: fear of being asked what applications your work has ("Look, a distraction! I mean, uh, an application!")