Who hates math?

[Garbz]

I'm not talking about easy maths, I'm talking about the bull**** maths that despite being apparently "practical" you would never use in your life.
Infact I reckon we learn things like analysis of complex numbers just so the university annoys us. Everone knows in the real world if we run into a problem invovling stuff like that it won't be an engineer that solves it, but someone who has a degree in maths (reads masochist).

I'm adding Euler to my list of people I'll beat up after I die and meet them in hell, because that much spite to students, it clearly has to be where he is.

 

[blackdoglab]

I got to a point in high school when most math (and they say had the balls to claim it was logical) became as abstract and surreal as Salvadore Dali directing a Marx Brothers movie. Curses!!

 

[M-O-S]

I feel u - what can u do, though?

 

[elle]

but maths is fun!!!!!:mrgreen::mrgreen:

don't you just want to hug it :hug::

 

[Garbz]

Well in highschool you still used real numbers. We are using imaginary ones. Try wrap your head around the sqrt(-1) being equal to "i", and then the exp(pi*i) = -1. That is fine to start off with until we need to do stuff like integrate them. Man I'm glad this is my last maths subject.

Elle I sware if I could remember where you lived right now I'd come around and throw Glyn (2004) "advanced modern engineering mathematics" 3rd edition at you.

 

[Alex_B]

An engineer should be able to handle allthis... he won't have to do all the proofs and he does not have to see the deeper beauty of maths and its formalism, but he needs to understand what he is doing and he needs to solve differential equations like Navier-Stokes, play with complex numbers and all that.

If you knew what people do who do mathematical research at university or some institute (not talking of applied mathmatics here) ... then you would be glad that you do what you are currently forced to


I am currently working as a guest at a Maths department .. and even I am glad I am doing slightly different things than the people who work here full time

 

[Alex_B]

Well in highschool you still used real numbers. We are using imaginary ones. Try wrap your head around the sqrt(-1) being equal to "i", and then the exp(pi*i) = -1. That is fine to start off with until we need to do stuff like integrate them. Man I'm glad this is my last maths subject.

well, th e space of complex numbers is just a space with a still fairly simple metric ... if you had done general relativity like I did many years ago (I am a theoretical physicist), then you would know how nasty things can really get :mrgreen: ... forgot a lot of those things by now though, since it is not my everyday area of science anymore.

OK, call me biased towards the beauty of maths

 

[elle]

hehehe i agree with Alex B!!

lol yep throw away, sounds like some fun holiday reading!! hahah but then again, everything is better when you dont have any assessment on it

 

[Garbz]

Oh an academic type. I'm liking you more every day Alex. (And hating you elle, just wait till Friday).

I have nothing against the simple application of it. Infact I love the application of maths. I eat up differential equations, Fourier and Laplace transforms on a very regular basis. I have to I am in the electrical engineering field. I also have no problem with physically learning the advanced mathematical methods like Finite Difference Time Domain methods for solving PDEs they are part of what I do and enjoy.

But the ARE making us work through the proofs and the formulations that are interesting only to maths students, and that is what annoys me. I nearly failed math2000 which was full of these proofs and formulations. And then nearly aced math2010. The difference even though both were based on calculus and linear algebra, is that the 2010 assignments were in the form of an engineering problem (resistor capacitors and inductors etc) rather than simply differential equations involving Xs and numbers pulled from a hat. In a practical question i can visualise what will happen. If someone throws numbers at me I can't

Also I remember special relativity. I was actually good at it, and got a good mark for my physics subjects because of it. Our exam was half optional. Had to answer 5 out of 9 questions to get full marks. I picked all the optics and relativity questions, things like Lorentz transformations, circle of confusion in lenses etc. The only thing I couldn't handle in physics was Quantum Mechanics. It is all a bit beyond me. I do understand though the basics for quantum, like how this post could have been either funny, or boring, but you wouldn't know until after you read it.

 

[elle]

lol now I WAS going to say that I can have a look at it and see if I can help you after tomorrow morning.. but if you are going to act like that!

 

[Garbz]

You mechanical types wouldn't know where to start

 

[Alex_B]

The only thing I couldn't handle in physics was Quantum Mechanics. It is all a bit beyond me.

To make things worse .. I lecture advanced QM at uni from time to time

I do understand though the basics for quantum, like how this post could have been either funny, or boring, but you wouldn't know until after you read it.

:mrgreen: wohaa ...

 

[elle]

now the claws come out!

I'd challenge you to a math's off, if it werent quite so nerdy and wasnt the start of holiday... lol

like to see your electronics work with out mechanical stuff

 

[Garbz]

Alex I thought you may like that . Here's what I think of you QM knowledge: :hail:

Elle it does on a regular basis. Just look at my water tank level indicator. No mechanical engineering was used in the making of this project. It's a circuit board with lights hanging literally from the cable it uses as a sensor. No screws, nothing. That said I don't expect it to last long either. LOL

 

[Stretch Armstrong]

To make things worse .. I lecture advanced QM at uni from time to time

:mrgreen: wohaa ...

Well, Alex, thank god all you have to do is lecture on it. Afterall, it is not like you have to know how to do it to lecture on it.