Are you good at math?

Page 4 of 8 [ 127 posts ] Go to page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Next

Previous topic | Next topic

ruveyn
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Age: 88
Gender: Male
Posts: 31,502
Location: New Jersey

24 Mar 2011, 3:13 am

JoeSchmukapop wrote:

]
I was being sarcastic. I'm just really bad at math. I can do the basics. :-)

I am an Aspie. I am totally oblivious to sarcastic. I am totally blind to what is between the lines (in a manner of speaking).

ruveyn

Moog
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 25 Feb 2010
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Posts: 17,671
Location: Untied Kingdom

24 Mar 2011, 7:10 am

Math and me don't mix

_________________
Not currently a moderator

ruveyn
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Age: 88
Gender: Male
Posts: 31,502
Location: New Jersey

24 Mar 2011, 7:14 am

JoeSchmukapop wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

JoeSchmukapop wrote:

]
I was being sarcastic. I'm just really bad at math. I can do the basics. :-)

I am an Aspie. I am totally oblivious to sarcastic. I am totally blind to what is between the lines (in a manner of speaking).

ruveyn

Yes, i know aspies don't typically know sarcasm. I'm an aspie as well and very bad at math that's all. :-)

Strangely enough math is one area in which my thinking is very free and flexible. In everyday life I am rather literal minded. In matters mathematical I take the math at its most general and least specific when a choice is possible.

ruveyn

ryan93
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 15 Apr 2009
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,315
Location: Galway, Ireland

24 Mar 2011, 8:22 am

Quote:

Hm... it depends. I would instinctively distrust a course called "scientific computation." It superficially sounds like a good/useful class, but could very well be a waste of time. My school has "Computing for Scientists" which is a garbage course used for transcript padding by pre-meds. My Mathematica course was not that great; I could have spent my time in better ways. Generally, the more buzzwords you see in a course title/description, the faster you should run in the opposite direction. There are a lot of self-taught programmers in the world, but it wouldn't hurt to take a programming course or two, just as long as they are the "real" programming courses through the computer science department.

Turns out the course itself is titled "Computer Science", although Algorithms and Scientific Computing is a module in it. It's run by the School of Maths, so it seems pretty dodgy anyway. Probably take Biochem instead.

_________________
The scientist only imposes two things, namely truth and sincerity, imposes them upon himself and upon other scientists - Erwin Schrodinger

Member of the WP Strident Atheists

Orwell
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 8 Aug 2007
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 12,518
Location: Room 101

24 Mar 2011, 10:17 am

ryan93 wrote:

That depends what your math department is like. Normally though, it is best to take a course within the actual department that would make sense for it, since otherwise it is likely to be watered down to appeal to non-majors.

_________________
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

Cornflake
Administrator

Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 70,672
Location: Over there

24 Mar 2011, 3:02 pm

Moog wrote:

Math and me don't mix

(Shhh! They're busy with maths, doncha know; it's not for us mortals wot carnt do sums :wink:

)

_________________
Giraffe: a ruminant with a view.

WeirdAlYankovicFan
Tufted Titmouse

Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 35

25 Mar 2011, 8:36 am

I would consider mathmatics as one of my strongest subjects. Alongside Science.

ruveyn
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Age: 88
Gender: Male
Posts: 31,502
Location: New Jersey

25 Mar 2011, 9:07 am

Cornflake wrote:

Moog wrote:

Math and me don't mix

(Shhh! They're busy with maths, doncha know; it's not for us mortals wot carnt do sums :wink:

)

Arithmetic skill is not synonymous with mathematical skill. Math is more about inventing abstract concepts and proving theorems about them than it is "doing sums" i.e. mechanical arithmetic and even algebraic manipulations. The latter can be done by computer programs better than by humans.

ruveyn

Cornflake
Administrator

Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 70,672
Location: Over there

25 Mar 2011, 12:28 pm

ruveyn wrote:

Alas, all one grey area to me - it's difficult to grasp any of it.
I am aware that mathematical skill is different to that required for basic arithmetic - "sums" was just a play on any ability with numbers, from the viewpoint of a "tolerable subhuman".

_________________
Giraffe: a ruminant with a view.

jmnixon95
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Dec 2009
Gender: Female
Posts: 20,931
Location: 미국

25 Mar 2011, 12:29 pm

Not incredibly. However, I am quite interested in Science in general, which can be seen as odd due to the fact that mathematics and more general "science" are usually tied together.

ryan93
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 15 Apr 2009
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,315
Location: Galway, Ireland

25 Mar 2011, 4:48 pm

jmnixon95 wrote:

Not incredibly. However, I am quite interested in Science in general, which can be seen as odd due to the fact that mathematics and more general "science" are usually tied together.

I don't think that's too weird; it implies you like to abstract knowledge down to its bare bones, but only manipulate that knowledge using simple logical interconnections, rather than calculus style operations.

_________________
The scientist only imposes two things, namely truth and sincerity, imposes them upon himself and upon other scientists - Erwin Schrodinger

Member of the WP Strident Atheists

huntedman
Velociraptor

Joined: 16 Apr 2010
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Posts: 467

27 Mar 2011, 1:53 pm

Cornflake wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

Arithmetic skill and theoretical ability are definitely very different. Last time I was tested I was <0.5% percentile on arithmetic skill, but the opposite end of the scale for theoretical. It's related to having dyscalculia (sort of numerical dyslexia), makes for an odd balance that hovers somewhere around adequate.

I would say to people who struggle with math, that being significantly better at higher, more abstract math is certainly possible. The further you get, the less the fact that you can barely add makes a difference.

If you are having trouble with multivar calculus or PDE's, I would definitely try to find people lecturing on the topic. Listening to someone who is are very comfortable with the topic describe how they interpret or visualize the process is allot better than any textbook. multivar calc in particular is very visual.

Cornflake
Administrator

Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 70,672
Location: Over there

27 Mar 2011, 3:18 pm

huntedman wrote:

If you are having trouble with multivar calculus or PDE's, I would definitely try to find people lecturing on the topic.

I have no idea what this even means, so the chances of my seeking a lecturer are somewhat slight.

_________________
Giraffe: a ruminant with a view.

ruveyn
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Age: 88
Gender: Male
Posts: 31,502
Location: New Jersey

27 Mar 2011, 4:40 pm

Cornflake wrote:

huntedman wrote:

If you are having trouble with multivar calculus or PDE's, I would definitely try to find people lecturing on the topic.

I have no idea what this even means, so the chances of my seeking a lecturer are somewhat slight.

Calculus of functions of more than one variable. As a result, differentiation becomes partial differentiation and the notion of integral becomes a bit complicated.

Use this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multivariable_calculus

for your jump off point.

ruveyn

Cornflake
Administrator

Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 70,672
Location: Over there

27 Mar 2011, 4:55 pm

ruveyn wrote:

Cornflake wrote:

huntedman wrote:

If you are having trouble with multivar calculus or PDE's, I would definitely try to find people lecturing on the topic.

I have no idea what this even means, so the chances of my seeking a lecturer are somewhat slight.

Calculus of functions of more than one variable. As a result, differentiation becomes partial differentiation and the notion of integral becomes a bit complicated.

Bolded parts mean nothing to me.

Quote:

Use this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multivariable_calculus

Fell over on the first paragraph. Following some of the links in that paragraph had the same effect.

_________________
Giraffe: a ruminant with a view.

ruveyn
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Age: 88
Gender: Male
Posts: 31,502
Location: New Jersey

27 Mar 2011, 5:27 pm

Cornflake wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

Cornflake wrote:

huntedman wrote:

If you are having trouble with multivar calculus or PDE's, I would definitely try to find people lecturing on the topic.

I have no idea what this even means, so the chances of my seeking a lecturer are somewhat slight.

Calculus of functions of more than one variable. As a result, differentiation becomes partial differentiation and the notion of integral becomes a bit complicated.

Bolded parts mean nothing to me.

Quote:

Use this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multivariable_calculus

Fell over on the first paragraph. Following some of the links in that paragraph had the same effect.

I would say you need more preparation.

ruveyn

Page 4 of 8 [ 127 posts ] Go to page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Next

Jump to:

Are you good at math? Post Reply New Topic

Are you good at math?