Thanks for the responses everyone. I have been looking at the MIT site and it looks like what i need would one just start from the top “Single Variable Calculus”? I am thinking that the MIT courses along with youtube videos for explanations would be the best approach for me.
[quote]maverick88 wrote:
I have been at college for a while majoring in something where jobs my not be readily available. I have been looking into switching to a math major.[/quote]
No. Just no. Jobs are NOT readily available for math majors. Take it from someone with a double major in math/physics and master in theoretical physics who just spent 5 months applying to 150 jobs only to receive 2 interviews and one job offer =)
Computer engineering
Materials science
Electrical engineering
Chemical engineering
…think along those lines. Being really really insanely good at math is a useful skill, but you need marketable ones.
If your heart is set on math, go applied math or mathematical finance and make sure you know how to program in your sleep.
Math is good if you want to be a math teacher
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]maverick88 wrote:
I have been at college for a while majoring in something where jobs my not be readily available. I have been looking into switching to a math major.[/quote]
No. Just no. Jobs are NOT readily available for math majors. Take it from someone with a double major in math/physics and master in theoretical physics who just spent 5 months applying to 150 jobs only to receive 2 interviews and one job offer =)
Computer engineering
Materials science
Electrical engineering
Chemical engineering
…think along those lines. Being really really insanely good at math is a useful skill, but you need marketable ones.
If your heart is set on math, go applied math or mathematical finance and make sure you know how to program in your sleep. [/quote]
Now, to look at the other side of the coin: I graduated last may with a degree in Pure Mathematics with a minor in computer information technology. I barely scraped through college (too much beer, not enough studying) with a 2.6 GPA. I was employed within a month of graduation.
It comes down to who you know and how you market yourself. I didn’t look for a “math major” job, i took an IT position and used my Math degree like a credential. I mean, I have a degree in pure math, you think I can’t figure out how to run a server?
To the OP: Math on it’s own, unless you want to be a Math teacher, is kind of a crappy major. Pick something to go along with the math degree if you want easy employ-ability. Computer science, engineering, etc.
You have to remember that in pure sciences the available jobs changed exponentially from masters level to phd level.
Masters in theoretical physics vs PhD in theoretical physics are two entirerly different employment groups…
Myself and a lot of my engineering buddies all independently ended up using “Paul’s online math notes” instead of our course textbooks or class notes. As far as calculus goes take it from me, this is the shit. If you need to review any topic in university calculus or get some review for just starting, this is the website to do it.
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]maverick88 wrote:
I have been at college for a while majoring in something where jobs my not be readily available. I have been looking into switching to a math major.[/quote]
No. Just no. Jobs are NOT readily available for math majors. Take it from someone with a double major in math/physics and master in theoretical physics who just spent 5 months applying to 150 jobs only to receive 2 interviews and one job offer =)
Computer engineering
Materials science
Electrical engineering
Chemical engineering
…think along those lines. Being really really insanely good at math is a useful skill, but you need marketable ones.
If your heart is set on math, go applied math or mathematical finance and make sure you know how to program in your sleep. [/quote]
He could get the math degree take a few of the actuary exams and land a pretty good job.
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]maverick88 wrote:
I have been at college for a while majoring in something where jobs my not be readily available. I have been looking into switching to a math major.[/quote]
No. Just no. Jobs are NOT readily available for math majors. Take it from someone with a double major in math/physics and master in theoretical physics who just spent 5 months applying to 150 jobs only to receive 2 interviews and one job offer =)
Computer engineering
Materials science
Electrical engineering
Chemical engineering
…think along those lines. Being really really insanely good at math is a useful skill, but you need marketable ones.
If your heart is set on math, go applied math or mathematical finance and make sure you know how to program in your sleep. [/quote]
I concur. If you want to do a shitload of math, Electrical & Computer Engineering is the way to go (usually considered one major).
I just took Calc 2 in 2006… barely squeaked through Calc 1 many years before that. But I needed the class to graduate and I saved it for one of my last courses. So I got the book at the college book store, it had both Calc 1 & 2 in it… and for a few extra bucks I picked up the answer booklet so I could check my homework questions.
I started out slow with it… could barely even turn on my Ti86 calculator, which is essential to the course. I had lost the manual for that, but found it online and I printed out any segment I needed. The book was a savior, anything I needed to brush up on, it was in the Calc 1 section. Plus I had a great instructor who cut out all the bullshit that many other instructors put you through.
Cliffs: get a good book that covers the basics, get a suitable calculator, take advantage of online help. And if you are in a class, form a study group.
Rob
When in college, I noticed that Calculus III was a prerequisite for many of the science courses I wanted to take, and Calc III itself had no prerequisites, while Calc II had Calc I as a prerequisite.
I bought “Calculus the Easy Way” by Douglas Downing and found it excellent and exactly as described in the title, and had little problem enrolling directly into Calc III.
As mentioned already in the thread, it’s advisable to actually work problems though. I did not do so, and relied only on having understood the concepts from reading. The result was that while I did fine in understanding Calc III and scarcely ever missed a test question for a Calc III reason, I lost quite a few points on every exam from Calc II mechanical errors that wouldn’t have happened had I put in the Calc II work.
I have no doubt that the other recommendations are good also; my experience was that this book was very well written and very effective in teaching and truly “easy” and enjoyable.
[quote]NikH wrote:
You have to remember that in pure sciences the available jobs changed exponentially from masters level to phd level.
Masters in theoretical physics vs PhD in theoretical physics are two entirely different employment groups…[/quote]
I used to think so too, but the truth is…not really. I’m in a PhD program so I know both PhD and post-doc level theoretical physicists in the same situation as me with the same luck…sometimes worse…emphasis on THEORETICAL. Experimental physics is a whole different ball game, because they have marketable skills.
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]NikH wrote:
You have to remember that in pure sciences the available jobs changed exponentially from masters level to phd level.
Masters in theoretical physics vs PhD in theoretical physics are two entirely different employment groups…[/quote]
I used to think so too, but the truth is…not really. I’m in a PhD program so I know both PhD and post-doc level theoretical physicists in the same situation as me with the same luck…sometimes worse…emphasis on THEORETICAL. Experimental physics is a whole different ball game, because they have marketable skills. [/quote]
Yes I know the employment isnt great for PhD in theoretical phycisist, but it’s alot better than for masters level. Masters in theoretical physics is this awkward stage when you are not good enough for related work, and nobody wants to hire you for anything else in my opinion.
Unless you study data analysis, too, and become a computer scientist or similar…
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Calc III itself had no prerequisites, while Calc II had Calc I as a prerequisite.
As mentioned already in the thread, it’s advisable to actually work problems though. I did not do so, and relied only on having understood the concepts from reading. The result was that while I did fine in understanding Calc III and scarcely ever missed a test question for a Calc III reason, I lost quite a few points on every exam from Calc II mechanical errors that wouldn’t have happened had I put in the Calc II work.[/quote]
Oh man I was the same way. That’s why I got out after differential equations. Calc III didn’t even use any calc II, and then I took matrix algebra, which didn’t even use calculus at all, but then I got to dif eq and it was like “Calc II Redux: Back with a Vengeance”
I actually switched from electronic engineering to pure maths, engineers use maths, they don’t study maths, something I got very frustrated with. Best decision I made, specialised in mechanics and fluid dynamics, finishing off my masters now and I walked onto a PhD course looking at weather forecasting starting in September.
Maths is such a stupidly broad subject that has prospects in literally every area of science, so it’s very hard to compare one maths graduate to another, they might have done entirely different things. Further down the line on their course, although this is from the UK so I don’t know if things are different in the US.
Obviously I’m going down the academic route, but I have lots of friends who are graduating with a BSc in pure maths and are working at places like Microsoft, Disney, Apple, Earnst and Young, Barclays and many more. Literally anywhere values a maths degree
[quote]csulli wrote:
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Calc III itself had no prerequisites, while Calc II had Calc I as a prerequisite.
As mentioned already in the thread, it’s advisable to actually work problems though. I did not do so, and relied only on having understood the concepts from reading. The result was that while I did fine in understanding Calc III and scarcely ever missed a test question for a Calc III reason, I lost quite a few points on every exam from Calc II mechanical errors that wouldn’t have happened had I put in the Calc II work.[/quote]
Oh man I was the same way. That’s why I got out after differential equations. Calc III didn’t even use any calc II, and then I took matrix algebra, which didn’t even use calculus at all, but then I got to dif eq and it was like “Calc II Redux: Back with a Vengeance”[/quote]
Here’s something I’ve been wondering- You mentioned matrix algebra. In the courses I took, we started with the basics like liner equations, systems of equations, matrices, then quadratics. In the next one we went into conic sections, imaginary numbers, systems of conic sections, etc. Then in the last one we did focal points of parabola, more conic stuff, rational functions, and finished out with higher order functions and graphs- with each course getting a little more complex and in depth.
The instructor said that this was about as far as they go with the algebra curriculum there, and any other stuff would be in the trig and calculus courses, but I was still left scratching my head thinking that there was more to it than that, like we were getting a glossed over treatment of the subjects.
So is matrix algebra similar to the matrix stuff I did, just more in depth?
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Here’s something I’ve been wondering- You mentioned matrix algebra. In the courses I took, we started with the basics like liner equations, systems of equations, matrices, then quadratics. In the next one we went into conic sections, imaginary numbers, systems of conic sections, etc. Then in the last one we did focal points of parabola, more conic stuff, rational functions, and finished out with higher order functions and graphs- with each course getting a little more complex and in depth.
The instructor said that this was about as far as they go with the algebra curriculum there, and any other stuff would be in the trig and calculus courses, but I was still left scratching my head thinking that there was more to it than that, like we were getting a glossed over treatment of the subjects.
So is matrix algebra similar to the matrix stuff I did, just more in depth?[/quote]
I use matrix algebra and linear algebra pretty much interchangeably. I just think matrix algebra sounds cooler lol. But yea it was matrix stuff and transformations and vector spaces and I think I remember even doing eigenvalues a bit.
[quote]csulli wrote:
I use matrix algebra and linear algebra pretty much interchangeably. I just think matrix algebra sounds cooler lol. But yea it was matrix stuff and transformations and vector spaces and I think I remember even doing eigenvalues a bit.[/quote]
O.K. Same or similar concepts, different applications.
Next thing I need to get is math/trig/calc as it applies to circles. For some odd reason I end up working with round things a lot and could use some better skills in that realm.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
For some odd reason I end up working with round things a lot and could use some better skills in that realm.
[/quote]
…heheh
[quote]Ripsaw3689 wrote:
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]maverick88 wrote:
I have been at college for a while majoring in something where jobs my not be readily available. I have been looking into switching to a math major.[/quote]
No. Just no. Jobs are NOT readily available for math majors. Take it from someone with a double major in math/physics and master in theoretical physics who just spent 5 months applying to 150 jobs only to receive 2 interviews and one job offer =)
Computer engineering
Materials science
Electrical engineering
Chemical engineering
…think along those lines. Being really really insanely good at math is a useful skill, but you need marketable ones.
If your heart is set on math, go applied math or mathematical finance and make sure you know how to program in your sleep. [/quote]
I concur. If you want to do a shitload of math, Electrical & Computer Engineering is the way to go (usually considered one major).[/quote]
Yes, also Computer Science. I am a software engineer and can guarantee you will have little problem finding a job if you are a programmer.
[quote]Anonymity wrote:
[quote]Ripsaw3689 wrote:
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]maverick88 wrote:
I have been at college for a while majoring in something where jobs my not be readily available. I have been looking into switching to a math major.[/quote]
No. Just no. Jobs are NOT readily available for math majors. Take it from someone with a double major in math/physics and master in theoretical physics who just spent 5 months applying to 150 jobs only to receive 2 interviews and one job offer =)
Computer engineering
Materials science
Electrical engineering
Chemical engineering
…think along those lines. Being really really insanely good at math is a useful skill, but you need marketable ones.
If your heart is set on math, go applied math or mathematical finance and make sure you know how to program in your sleep. [/quote]
I concur. If you want to do a shitload of math, Electrical & Computer Engineering is the way to go (usually considered one major).[/quote]
Yes, also Computer Science. I am a software engineer and can guarantee you will have little problem finding a job if you are a programmer.
[/quote]
Right. I was only like 1 or 2 classes from a CS minor since EE/ECE can be programming intensive.