A Beautiful Mind Practice Quiz

1. In the screenplay, how is Nash first introduced?

   • A. Playing a game of Go.

   • B. Writing equations on a window.

   • C. Observing students playing football. (This is how the screenplay opens, establishing Nash’s tendency to observe rather than participate.)

   • D. Debating with fellow mathematicians.

2. What does Nash initially struggle with when interacting with his peers?

   • A. Making eye contact.

   • B. Understanding social norms. (Nash struggles with social interactions and often comes across as awkward or overly direct.)

   • C. Explaining his mathematical theories.

   • D. Remembering people’s names.

3. How does the screenplay establish Nash’s unique way of thinking?

   • A. Through dialogue that shows his unconventional logic. (His conversations reveal his unique way of processing information and prioritizing logic over social norms.)

   • B. Through narration explaining his thought process.

   • C. Through dreamlike sequences that visualize his ideas.

   • D. Through voiceover commentary from his professor.

4. Which aspect of Nash’s behavior hints at his later struggles with mental illness?

   • A. His ability to recall large amounts of data.

   • B. His difficulty in forming relationships.

   • C. His insistence on working alone.

   • D. His tendency to obsess over patterns. (Nash sees patterns everywhere, an early sign of his later struggles with schizophrenia.)

5. What is significant about the way Charles, Nash’s roommate, is first introduced in the screenplay?

   • A. Charles appears in an unusually dramatic manner.

   • B. Charles mirrors Nash’s intellect but has a more outgoing personality. (Charles is depicted as Nash’s confident and charismatic counterpart, though he is later revealed to be imaginary.)

   • C. Charles is presented as someone Nash immediately distrusts.

   • D. Charles is first seen in a surreal, dreamlike scene.

6. How does the screenplay use visual elements to distinguish Nash’s thought process from reality?

   • A. By using distorted camera angles.

   • B. By alternating between color and black-and-white.

   • C. By introducing glowing equations in his environment. (The screenplay frequently visualizes Nash’s mathematical thought process through these effects.)

   • D. By shifting between different aspect ratios.

7. What role does Professor Helinger play in Nash’s academic journey at Princeton?

   • A. He is supportive but warns Nash about his arrogance. (Professor Helinger recognizes Nash’s potential but also cautions him about his behavior.)

   • B. He dismisses Nash’s work as unoriginal.

   • C. He mentors Nash and helps refine his theories.

   • D. He is indifferent to Nash’s unconventional approach.

8. What is the significance of the football scene in the screenplay?

   • A. It highlights Nash’s difficulty in socializing.

   • B. It serves as a metaphor for game theory. (The scene foreshadows Nash’s work in game theory by illustrating decision-making and strategy.)

   • C. It introduces Nash’s competitive nature.

   • D. It contrasts Nash’s intellectual world with the physical world.

9. What does the screenplay suggest about Nash’s motivation for seeking intellectual recognition?

   • A. He desires social validation.

   • B. He is driven by an internal need to solve unsolved problems. (Nash is more focused on intellectual discovery than external recognition.)

   • C. He wants to impress his professors.

   • D. He fears academic failure.

10. How does Nash’s perception of success differ from that of his peers?

    • A. He values originality over accolades. (Unlike his peers, Nash is not interested in merely excelling academically; he wants to create something entirely new.)

    • B. He focuses solely on mathematical applications in economics.

    • C. He believes success is determined by social connections.

    • D. He prioritizes publishing as many papers as possible.

Questions on Nasar’s A Beautiful Mind (biography, pp. 10-22)

11. According to Nasar, what aspect of Nash’s early life set him apart from his peers?

• A. His lack of interest in formal education.

• B. His intense focus on abstract mathematical problems. (Even as a child, Nash showed an unusual fascination with complex problems.)

• C. His exceptional athletic ability.

• D. His ability to form deep friendships easily.

12. How did Nash’s family influence his academic pursuits?

• A. They discouraged his eccentric habits.

• B. They supported his intellectual curiosity despite his social difficulties. (His family nurtured his intelligence, even though he was socially awkward.)

• C. They pressured him to pursue a career in engineering.

• D. They were indifferent to his academic interests.

13. What does Nasar suggest about Nash’s approach to problem-solving?

• A. He relied on intuition rather than formal methods. (Nash often approached problems in unconventional ways, trusting his intuition over established methods.)

• B. He preferred collaboration over working alone.

• C. He struggled with mathematical abstraction.

• D. He rejected traditional problem-solving techniques.

14. In what way did Nash’s professors perceive him at Princeton?

• A. As an exceptionally gifted but socially awkward student. (His professors saw his brilliance but also noted his social difficulties and arrogance.)

• B. As a brilliant team player who excelled in group projects.

• C. As a student who lacked originality in his work.

• D. As someone who needed constant guidance to succeed.

15. How did Nash’s competitive nature shape his interactions with fellow students?

• A. It made him eager to form study groups.

• B. It led to intellectual rivalries rather than friendships. (Nash often saw peers as competitors rather than collaborators, making friendships difficult.)

• C. It pushed him to mentor younger students.

• D. It resulted in him avoiding academic discussions altogether.

16. What does Nasar reveal about Nash’s early interests outside of mathematics?

• A. He had a fascination with philosophy. (Nash was intrigued by philosophical ideas, particularly those related to logic and rationality.)

• B. He was deeply involved in political activism.

• C. He enjoyed creative writing.

• D. He was an amateur astronomer.

17. How does Nasar describe Nash’s personality in relation to social norms?

• A. He was indifferent to social conventions and norms. (Nash often ignored or misunderstood standard social behaviors.)

• B. He actively sought to conform to expectations.

• C. He was known for his charm and charisma.

• D. He struggled with authority but valued structure.

18. What does Nash’s attitude toward established mathematical theories suggest?

• A. He believed most theories were flawed and needed revision.

• B. He respected traditional approaches but sought to refine them.

• C. He disregarded prior work in favor of original ideas. (He was known for rejecting traditional mathematical approaches and seeking his own unique solutions.)

• D. He relied heavily on past theories for his own research.

19. What challenge did Nash face in making his mark in the field of mathematics?

• A. He had to compete with more well-known mathematicians. (As a young researcher, Nash had to establish himself in a field dominated by more established figures.)

• B. He struggled with academic writing.

• C. He faced difficulty securing research funding.

• D. He lacked access to proper mentors.

20. What early signs of Nash’s future struggles with mental illness does Nasar highlight?

• A. His paranoia about academic competition.

• B. His erratic behavior and tendency toward isolation. (Even in his early years, Nash exhibited signs of social withdrawal and obsessive thinking, which later became more pronounced with schizophrenia.)

• C. His inability to complete mathematical proofs.

• D. His obsessive focus on trivial details.