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favorite branch of mathematics

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Trencher93
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12 Dec 2012, 7:39 am

I used to like math, until the day I found out lambda trees had nothing to do with computer science or the lamba calculus. I'm still trying to get over it and put my life back together.

wtfid2
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12 Dec 2012, 10:56 am

multiplication

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ruveyn
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12 Dec 2012, 11:04 am

Trencher93 wrote:

I used to like math, until the day I found out lambda trees had nothing to do with computer science or the lamba calculus. I'm still trying to get over it and put my life back together.

What is a lambda tree. I could not find it in wikipedia.

ruveyn

marshall
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12 Dec 2012, 2:42 pm

ianorlin wrote:

marshall wrote:

I like linear algebra. Matrices and eigenvalues crop up everywhere in applied mathematics.

Complex analysis has that perfect balance of being both elegant and somewhat mysterious. There are a lot of fairly simple proofs of very non-obvious or very roundabout kinds of results. Analytic number theory in particular is quite mind-boggling. Euler's formula is also handy mnemonic shorthand for deriving rotations and angles/phase-shifts without having to constantly write down loads of tedious trig identities.

I find the proofs and more abstract course I took on linear algebra easier than the more computational course as easy to get sidetracked and make mistakes in the computational one with matricies.

Solving a matrix by hand is pointless in this day and age. That's what computers are for. When I say I like linear algebra I'm talking about the theory.

wtfid2
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12 Dec 2012, 2:46 pm

ianorlin wrote:

Calculus is easy as well.

Everyone is different. I had to drop out of PRE calculus because I couldn't do it, and i only got through algebra by memorizing things..although i did get an A..same with trig.

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ruveyn
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12 Dec 2012, 3:39 pm

marshall wrote:

ianorlin wrote:

marshall wrote:

I find the proofs and more abstract course I took on linear algebra easier than the more computational course as easy to get sidetracked and make mistakes in the computational one with matricies.

Solving a matrix by hand is pointless in this day and age. That's what computers are for. When I say I like linear algebra I'm talking about the theory.

Calculating with matrices does not help one to prove theorems about the linear transformations that the matrices represent.

There is more to math than calculating stuff.

ruveyn

ianorlin
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12 Dec 2012, 3:41 pm

marshall wrote:

ianorlin wrote:

marshall wrote:

I find the proofs and more abstract course I took on linear algebra easier than the more computational course as easy to get sidetracked and make mistakes in the computational one with matricies.

Solving a matrix by hand is pointless in this day and age. That's what computers are for. When I say I like linear algebra I'm talking about the theory.

The theory is the better part. Although some calculations like finding the the determinant of an upper triangular matrix with a zero on the diagonal with a zero in it. It is the product of the diagonal so entering the matrix in the computer would take longer than calculating it.

Trencher93
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12 Dec 2012, 6:24 pm

ruveyn wrote:

What is a lambda tree. I could not find it in wikipedia.

http://books.google.com/books/about/Int ... OrMHHDMZgC

Trencher93
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12 Dec 2012, 6:25 pm

ruveyn wrote:

There is more to math than calculating stuff.

Math doesn't get interesting until you get rid of numbers.

ruveyn
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12 Dec 2012, 11:05 pm

Trencher93 wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

There is more to math than calculating stuff.

Math doesn't get interesting until you get rid of numbers.

How do you propose to do number theory, then?

ruveyn

ianorlin
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12 Dec 2012, 11:59 pm

ruveyn wrote:

Trencher93 wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

There is more to math than calculating stuff.

Math doesn't get interesting until you get rid of numbers.

How do you propose to do number theory, then?

ruveyn

He can not find number theory interesting.

MCalavera
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13 Dec 2012, 1:13 am

ruveyn wrote:

ianorlin wrote:

Calculus is easy as well.

Yes and no. As a mechanical calculation, not hard although integration can be a bear at times.

Done rigorously the analysis of real and complex variables requires close attention and hard work.

ruveyn

Agreed. A few weeks ago, I studied online about derivatives, and it is hella easy to do the calculations. Easier than some of the algebra stuff.

But I still haven't been able to understand and develop the intuition for slopes of curves.

Trencher93
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13 Dec 2012, 7:15 am

ruveyn wrote:

How do you propose to do number theory, then?

Number theory is almost totally abstract, a combination of set theory and Peano's postulates. Actual numbers don't come into it until later on.

But what I meant was math doesn't become interesting until you leave calculations and arithmetic and get into the theory behind it.

ianorlin
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13 Dec 2012, 10:53 am

MCalavera wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

ianorlin wrote:

Calculus is easy as well.

I prefer to take derivitives to find where the vertex of a parabola is rather than completing the square seems easy to me. Although the intuition on slopes of curves is important and useful.

ruveyn
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13 Dec 2012, 11:29 am

Trencher93 wrote:

But what I meant was math doesn't become interesting until you leave calculations and arithmetic and get into the theory behind it.

Much better.

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