Mp factoring speedup question.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by Bob Silverman

"You are wasting your time. This time would be better
spent learning about the subject.

I disagree with the first sentence. The second, IMO, is still open.

He appears to be exercising his reasoning skills and making progress in a subject he hadn't previously thought much about. Anything that keeps the brain active is a Good Thing, in my opinion. The fact that these ideas have been recorded many times over the centuries is relevant but not evidence of a mortal sin, again IMO.

The time may be better spent, I don't know. What I do know is that many people make more progress from thinking about a problem before looking up the answer in the back of the book than they do from reading the question and then immediately turning to the answer.

That's why I use the phrase "is left an exercise" so often in my postings. I try to give enough clues so that the answer can be found easily with a search engine but not so many that those who wish to exercise their understanding and their techniques can do so without having to read the answer straight away

Paul