most recent 30 from http://mathoverflow.net 2013-05-19T09:49:18Z http://mathoverflow.net/feeds/user/2269 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://mathoverflow.net/questions/7584/what-are-the-most-misleading-alternate-definitions-in-taught-mathematics/7632#7632 Jon 2009-12-03T02:05:13Z 2009-12-03T02:33:27Z

<p>I know that this comment will be somewhat controversial, but I strongly believe that the standard (algebraic) textbook definition of d of a differential form is unpedagogical.</p> <p>I much prefer the route taken in Arnold's GTM book on classical mechanics: Just define d of a form as the thing that makes Stokes theorem true!</p> <p>Then one derives the algebraic formula for d of a form. Everything is motivated at every step, and the student isn't confronted with a confusing algebraic definition of unknown origin.</p>