---
title: "2 Learn Mathematics Quotes By Paul Halmos"
description: "2 Learn Mathematics quotes by Paul Halmos. Plus more from Paul Halmos and more Learn Mathematics sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/paul-halmos-19455_do-it-yourself_the-only-way-to-learn-mathematics-is-to_1262498.png"
---

> [The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics. That tenet is the foundation of the do-it-yourself, Socratic, or Texas method, ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-only-way-to-learn-mathematics-is-to-do-mathematics-that-tenet-is/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/paul-halmos-19455_do-it-yourself_the-only-way-to-learn-mathematics-is-to_1262498.png)

> [The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-only-way-to-learn-mathematics-is-to-do-mathematics/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/paul-halmos-19455_algebra_the-only-way-to-learn-mathematics-is-to_2441200.png)

## More by Paul Halmos

> [Applied mathematics will always need pure mathematics just as anteaters will always need ants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/applied-mathematics-will-always-need-pure-mathematics-just-as/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [When a student comes and asks, "Should I become a mathematician?" the answer should be no. If you have to ask, you shouldn't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/when-a-student-comes-and-asks-should-i-become-a-mathematician-the/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [You are allowed to lie a little, but you must never mislead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/you-are-allowed-to-lie-a-little-but-you-must-never-mislead/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [Don't just read it; fight it! Ask your own question, look for your own examples, discover your own proofs. Is the hypothesis necessary? Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/don-t-just-read-it-fight-it-ask-your-own-question-look-for-your-own/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [...the source of all great mathematics is the special case, the concrete example. It is frequent in mathematics that every instance of a concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-source-of-all-great-mathematics-is-the-special-case-the-concrete/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [“In other words, general set theory is pretty trivial stuff really, but, if you want to be a mathematician, you need some and here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/in-other-words-general-set-theory-is-pretty-trivial-stuff-really-but/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [It saddens me that educated people don't even know that my subject exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/it-saddens-me-that-educated-people-don-t-even-know-that-my-subject/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [The beginner should not be discouraged if he finds he does not have the prerequisites for reading the prerequisites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-beginner-should-not-be-discouraged-if-he-finds-he-does-not-have/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [The mathematical fraternity is a little like a self-perpetuating priesthood. The mathematicians of today teach the mathematicians of tomorrow and, in effect, decide whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-mathematical-fraternity-is-a-little-like-a-self-perpetuating/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [Mathematics is not a deductive science, that's a cliché ... What you do is trial and error, experimentation, guesswork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/mathematics-is-not-a-deductive-science-that-s-a-clich-what-you-do-is/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [I remember one occasion when I tried to add a little seasoning to a review, but I wasn't allowed to. The paper was by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/i-remember-one-occasion-when-i-tried-to-add-a-little-seasoning-to-a/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [Feller was an ebullient man, who would rather be wrong than undecided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/feller-was-an-ebullient-man-who-would-rather-be-wrong-than-undecided/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics. That tenet is the foundation of the do-it-yourself, Socratic, or Texas method, ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-only-way-to-learn-mathematics-is-to-do-mathematics-that-tenet-is/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [... the student skit at Christmas contained a plaintive line: "Give us Master's exams that our faculty can pass, or give us a faculty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-student-skit-at-christmas-contained-a-plaintive-line-give-us/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

> [What's the best part of being a mathematician? I'm not a religious man, but it's almost like being in touch with God when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/what-s-the-best-part-of-being-a-mathematician-i-m-not-a-religious-man/)

[Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/)

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