I've been solving some mathematics quiz/problems for fun. I did answer all the questions I've faced. Considering I don't have the written answers to compare them with mine, is this the right place to post the problem and check if my answer is right?

Note that I don't want to post all the quiz sheet around here, I just had some confusion on one or two questions that I am really unsure that I got the right answer and I would like to check if my reasoning was right and explanation if I was wrong.

I finished school a long time ago and it's been some time since I went through such problems and I totally forgot how to really solve them, so I just went with my instincts, and before I go post questions around here that goes off-topic, I would like your opinion about this.

Is it on-topic to ask such questions around here, and what would be the best tag to use?

  • $\begingroup$ There is a mechanism for posting a question and posting your own answer to the question. In the body of the question, you can point out that you are doing that, and that your purpose is to get constructive criticism of your answer. $\endgroup$ – Gerry Myerson Sep 11 '18 at 4:12
  • $\begingroup$ That would better work with the answers I am 100% sure about.However, If I am not really sure that I got the right answer, I wouldn't post it as one. I better ask it as a question. $\endgroup$ – Paul Karam Sep 11 '18 at 4:39
  • $\begingroup$ The trouble with asking it as a question is that, if it's right, there's not much anyone can post as an answer except "Yup, that's right," which doesn't really look good as an answer. $\endgroup$ – Gerry Myerson Sep 11 '18 at 6:49

I think posting such questions is fine, and on topic, provided you include your own workings and/or thought process after stating the problem/question, and not just your final result. This is really key: Seeing your workings which lead to your solution benefits you and this site as a whole.

That way we can confirm both your work and final answer, or, in the case you made a mistake along the way in your workings, we can help you identify precisely where you may have made a mistake. (This is especially helpful, e.g., when your method of solution is sound, but, say, you made a computational error along the way.)

And if you are unsure about your answer to a question, just post your workings and solution and draw our attention to what you are unsure about. Alternatively, if you attempted a problem, but you got stuck half-way through you attempt, just post your attempt up to where you got stuck, and we can help steer you to the solution.

Tags Try to identify tags that address the mathematics needed to solve the problem. Just do your best to represent the area of math, or topic involved in solving the question (arithmetic? fractions? geometry? algebra-precalculus? calculus?).

You can even add "word problem", "puzzle", "recreational-math", etc., along with a mathematical-topic tag. Don't worry too much about tagging perfectly; other users will assist in the selection of appropriate tags. The more you use them, the more at ease you'll feel in selecting them down the road.

By the way: Welcome to MSE, and welcome to Meta!


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