Calculus
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chemistry_geek
Registered
Uber Nerd here!
Gosh, I L O V E D Calculus. Brings back fond memories of my Alma Mater (Bowling Green State University). I even graduated with a mathematics minor. I took EVERY Calculus course offered, a semester of Linear Algebra, a semester of Differential Equations (Difficult Equations for many people), a full year of Numerical Analysis (I must admit, that was challenging). But I also have to say that even though I don't use it much anymore, it gave me the mental tools to look at a problem or situation and actually think about solving it.
Without Calculus, much of our moderen world wouldn't even exist. There wouldn't be rockets, space shuttles, man-made satelites investigating the planets, CHEMISTRY, bridges, computers, etc... So much depends on calculus. Don't hate it for what it is, love it for what it can teach you and for what opportunities it can give you.
To be successful at solving calculus problems, look at the equation (problem) and apply a set of rules, i.e. differentiating, integrating (by parts), etc...It's just THAT easy!
OK, you can hate me now.
Gosh, I L O V E D Calculus. Brings back fond memories of my Alma Mater (Bowling Green State University). I even graduated with a mathematics minor. I took EVERY Calculus course offered, a semester of Linear Algebra, a semester of Differential Equations (Difficult Equations for many people), a full year of Numerical Analysis (I must admit, that was challenging). But I also have to say that even though I don't use it much anymore, it gave me the mental tools to look at a problem or situation and actually think about solving it.
Without Calculus, much of our moderen world wouldn't even exist. There wouldn't be rockets, space shuttles, man-made satelites investigating the planets, CHEMISTRY, bridges, computers, etc... So much depends on calculus. Don't hate it for what it is, love it for what it can teach you and for what opportunities it can give you.
To be successful at solving calculus problems, look at the equation (problem) and apply a set of rules, i.e. differentiating, integrating (by parts), etc...It's just THAT easy!
OK, you can hate me now.
Get a TI89. When I got stuck with a problem, I'd use the TI89 to help me figure out its answer, by coming up with facts.
If (3)/(x^-2)=2, is 3x^2=2? My TI89 would help me determine if the statement was true or not. And if it was true, then I'd be able to transform the problem into something simpler.
If (3)/(x^-2)=2, is 3x^2=2? My TI89 would help me determine if the statement was true or not. And if it was true, then I'd be able to transform the problem into something simpler.
RacerX
Old Rhapsody User
I ended up majoring in Mathematics, but I sure didn't start out liking it.
In high school, by my junior year, I just hated school completely. I cut classes all the time, but still managed to get 4s on all my AP exams (Physics B, Physics C Mechanics, Physics C E&M and Calculus AB). After high school I took two years off before going back to school (as a physics major at the time).
I always loved physics and just thought the math was there to help out. After I took a Classical Differential Geometry course, I was hooked! After two years of straight courses in mathematics (Differential Geometry, Calculus on Manifolds, Lie Geometries, Differentiable Manifolds, Riemannian Geometry, Integration on Manifolds and Clifford Algebras) I realized that I was enjoying the Mathematics way more than the Physics series I was taking at the time (Mechanics, Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics). So I switch majors and had Physics as a minor.
But honestly, it didn't become really fun until after Differential Equations. And doing research was the best!
The most fun I ever had in Mathematics was while working for the National Science Foundation's Geometry Center. There were about 30 of us there, and I was the only one not doing computer oriented research (I was doing pure math and couldn't apply the computers to helping me). It was a great environment. They payed for everything (food, lodging, entertainment), we had no hours to speak of (some of us even went camping one week), and I was getting paid (the money was a combination of funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy). I was lucky to get that position and I know it was because one of my two letters of recommendation at the time was from a Fields Medalist (I had secured letters from three Fields Medalist before taking my extended break, I most likely could only count on one after this long).
I should get back to school at some point, but moving back to San Diego isn't that easy and I'm a little out of practice when it comes to taking courses (though I've thought about sitting in on some here in Minnesota). I know I'm not going to be able to just jump back in where I left off (part way through the Lie Groups and Lie Algebras series), but I do miss it... specially doing research.
When you get past a certain point, it really can be fun. I just don't remember Calculus being that point.
In high school, by my junior year, I just hated school completely. I cut classes all the time, but still managed to get 4s on all my AP exams (Physics B, Physics C Mechanics, Physics C E&M and Calculus AB). After high school I took two years off before going back to school (as a physics major at the time).
I always loved physics and just thought the math was there to help out. After I took a Classical Differential Geometry course, I was hooked! After two years of straight courses in mathematics (Differential Geometry, Calculus on Manifolds, Lie Geometries, Differentiable Manifolds, Riemannian Geometry, Integration on Manifolds and Clifford Algebras) I realized that I was enjoying the Mathematics way more than the Physics series I was taking at the time (Mechanics, Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics). So I switch majors and had Physics as a minor.
But honestly, it didn't become really fun until after Differential Equations. And doing research was the best!
The most fun I ever had in Mathematics was while working for the National Science Foundation's Geometry Center. There were about 30 of us there, and I was the only one not doing computer oriented research (I was doing pure math and couldn't apply the computers to helping me). It was a great environment. They payed for everything (food, lodging, entertainment), we had no hours to speak of (some of us even went camping one week), and I was getting paid (the money was a combination of funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy). I was lucky to get that position and I know it was because one of my two letters of recommendation at the time was from a Fields Medalist (I had secured letters from three Fields Medalist before taking my extended break, I most likely could only count on one after this long).
I should get back to school at some point, but moving back to San Diego isn't that easy and I'm a little out of practice when it comes to taking courses (though I've thought about sitting in on some here in Minnesota). I know I'm not going to be able to just jump back in where I left off (part way through the Lie Groups and Lie Algebras series), but I do miss it... specially doing research.
When you get past a certain point, it really can be fun. I just don't remember Calculus being that point.
mr. k
Registered
I've been working on functions - transforming and solving them. I don't really know if this actually calc, but I think it would be a pretty standard review because calculus works with functions a lot. I wish that I had taken calc at the U of M instead of in school, we would have moved a lot faster and I wouldn't have had to take the AP exam at the end of the year. It's free, and that would have been better. My class is going to slow! And at the U you won't have homework quizzes...
Arden
Where mah "any" keys at?
I remember, it's with an L, limits. I feel smartly stupid...
Racer: Yeah, definitely get back into advanced math courses if you can. There are some real mysteries of the universe that you won't ever discover unless you take lots of math.
My uncle teaches statistics at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Racer: Yeah, definitely get back into advanced math courses if you can. There are some real mysteries of the universe that you won't ever discover unless you take lots of math.
My uncle teaches statistics at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
