Short informal writeups with interactive visualizations. I let things speak for themselves and avoid the usual definition-theorem-proof dogma.
Posts
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u-Substitution: My Very First Pullback
You usually hear about pullbacks in advanced calculus, but we’ve already snuck one by you in calc 1. Let me show you where.
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Linear Maps Make Ellipses Out of Circles
Inside: two short proofs and a cool viz of the SVD.
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The Gaussian Integral, a Geometrically Annotated Proof
More 3d graphics and less symbol manipulations really make this classic proof shine.
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Rejection Sampling and the Ziggurat Algorithm
It’s blazingly fast and is the best RNG you’ve never heard of. Let me show you how it works with some interactive sketches. We’ll throw darts along the way!
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Discovering Euler's Formula Like a Physicist
Euler’s identity is widely regarded as the prime example of mathematical beauty. In this post we’ll rediscover it using high school math and a bit of common sense.
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The Geometry of Leibniz's Product Rule
In high school you learned by rote how to calculate the derivative of “f times g”. In first year calculus you proved it mathematically. But can you say off the cuff why it should be true?
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How Did They Calculate Square Roots in 1700 BCE?
The Babylonian method might be the first known algorithm for approximating square roots. In this post we’re going to visualize its amazing geometric interpretation.
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JavaScript Miscellanea
Technical details that get in the way instead of helping go here. What’s p5.js? How to orient the canvas? Etc.