I enjoy solving puzzles, and math problems are great puzzles to me. The process of solving them gives me great satisfaction, even if it consumes a lot of my time. I trace my interest in math from elementary school.

The problem-solving process is especially rewarding if the answers are elegant or beautiful, or when I find unexpected connections or interesting patterns. The connections and patterns emerge as I ask myself questions: If I change the numbers in the problem statement, how does my answer change? How can I create a formula out of this? Can I generalize my answer? If I add other conditions, how and where does my proof break? I really enjoy solving problems that are proof-oriented, open-ended, and free-response in nature. They inspire me to delve deeper and identify new connections. I’ve found some interesting connections that are fascinating.

Another aspect about math that I love is the precision it offers. Even open-ended problems are structured in which the knowns and the goals are precisely stated. The different approaches to investigate such goals are logical and precise — such as proof by contradiction or induction.