To write and speak correctly is certainly necessary; but it is not sufficient. A derivation correctly presented in the book or on the blackboard may be inaccessible and uninstructive, if the purpose of the successive steps is incomprehensible, if the reader or listener cannot understand how it was humanly possible to find such an argument....
George PolyaThere exist a lot of questions that the fools can ask, and the intelligent cannot answer.
George PolyaI am intentionally avoiding the standard term which, by the way, did not exist in Euler's time. One of the ugliest outgrowths of the "new math" was the premature introduction of technical terms.
George PolyaThe first rule of discovery is to have brains and good luck. The second rule of discovery is to sit tight and wait till you get a bright idea.
George PolyaA GREAT discovery solves a great problem but there is a grain of discovery in any problem.
George PolyaIn order to translate a sentence from English into French two things are necessary. First, we must understand thoroughly the English sentence. Second, we must be familiar with the forms of expression peculiar to the French language. The situation is very similar when we attempt to express in mathematical symbols a condition proposed in words. First, we must understand thoroughly the condition. Second, we must be familiar with the forms of mathematical expression.
George Polya