From: neufeld@aurora.physics.utoronto.ca (Christopher Neufeld)

Well, I've got a favorite story from my Math-Phys course in undergrad. I figure the statute of limitations on the marks has expired now, so here goes.

The typical problem, show is equal to . The math was pretty nasty, and half-way through it looked like I'd need a clue to getting to the answer, so I went to the result and tried to work it back to the intermediate result (typical test/homework trick). They didn't meet. I had two expressions which I knew were equal from plugging into the calculator, but I couldn't show it algebraically. So, I used another familiar trick, between the two lines I wrote: ICBS (it can be shown) and stuck it between the two pieces I couldn't connect.

Now, somebody else in the class did the same thing, exactly, and got stuck in exactly the same place. He wrote: TAMO (then a miracle occurs) in the same place.

I got full marks; he lost marks and got a sarcastic comment from the corrector.