Primary Decomposition Theorem

Just a random Maths theory I found.

I have just been looking at the syllabus for the final honour exams of the Oxford University Mathematics Degree - whew boyo:

"Dual spaces of finite-dimensional spaces; annihilators; the natural isomorphism between a space and its second dual; dual transformations and their matrix representation with respect to dual bases."

Just a brief, relatively simple sounding, excerpt from the Algebra syllabus.

Sounds fun, doesn't it?

I would really like to do Mathematics at Oxford, but I'm not sure if I'm good enough. I'm good at Maths, sure, but I only seem better than everyone else because I've read ahead. Hmm...

I have a theory (well, poached from one in a Discworld book, but I've dwelt on it):
Everybody has one Talent. One thing that they are really, naturally good at - that completes them as a person. Very few people find their talent - those that do, become famous in that field.

Being such a geek, I can currently think of only Mathematic Talenteers - Gauss, Euclid, Euler, Riemann.

The trouble with Talents is, few people ever try them - I think once you've tried your Talent, you know it's your talent. And some Talents may not have even been invented - like flying vehicles at hyperspeeds, or somesuch nonsense. I'd quite like to find my Talent. Heck, maybe it is Maths after all.

I was statistics browsing yesterday, being bored, and I was looking at the Times University Guide:

Oxford has been rated the top University in the UK.
York is the 7th overall, the best for teaching quality.
Cambridge is 1st for Mathematics (Oxford trails behind at 9th)
Sheffield is the number 1 university for studing Russian and East European languages.

Oh, and I have had a hair cut. It is very short (comparatively).

Last night, I watched the Passion of (the?) Christ. It was a very good film, though very bloody - not much more than showing how much Christ suffered. It was apalling - whether you believe he is the Messiah or not (I do not), no man - especially not one who's crime was no greater than telling people to love each other and not pay taxes - deserves that much suffering.

I wonder if Mel Gibson is a Christian.

Anyway, I'm off to figure out how to complete that thrice-damned Laplace transformation.