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Calculus(my update)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1013813/posts ^

Posted on 12/16/2004 9:45:44 AM PST by IYAAYAS

I made the above linked post more than a year ago which generated more than 100 replies. Which means I've been waiting (hoping) for more than a year to make this one. Well I finished! Calculus 1,2,3 and differential equations, including a discreet mathematics class over the summer for good measure. I just got my final grades for calc 3 and DEQ this morning, B and B. DEQ was by far the most difficult class I've ever taken, VERY interesting to me though, I wish I had the time to take DEQ2. This morning I feel like I've finaly won an epic struggle between me and math. I know I still have a lot of math in my future as an engineering major, but now I have the confidence and the ability. WOOHOO I'm so happy! To all who posted advice: Thank You! To any misguided student who comes to FR for math advice read the above linked post and follow the advice!


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To: HiJinx; IYAAYAS

Listen, I managed to finish all my required math, thank you very much. Intermediate Algebra and College Math were quite enough for me, thanks. I am very much blessed that I did not have to take Trig or Calc!


IYAAYAS - congrats to you. I know what a struggle it was for me just understanding advanced algebra, so what you have done is really a great accomplishment!

p.s. I also know the elation that comes with getting a B in a class like advanced math!


41 posted on 12/16/2004 10:40:48 AM PST by beachn4fun (No tagline was hurt in making of this post!)
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To: Joe Bonforte; the invisib1e hand
Well, the main theorem is that the integral of e to the x is equal to a function of u to the n power.

Well stated. I'm getting a vision. LOL

42 posted on 12/16/2004 10:41:50 AM PST by Professional Engineer (All wisdom is from the Lord, and with him it remains forever. ~ Ecclesiasticus 1.1)
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To: EEDUDE

I hope you are not using Matlab 6. More and more complicated dynamics is leading to more and more sophisticated differential equations. Instead of using a package routine which may not be optimal for your system, it is highly advisable to learn numerical methods and a programming language. I mostly code in C with help from the GSL library system which has a lot of routine to handle linear algebra stuff. I wish using matrices in C was as easy as in Java.


43 posted on 12/16/2004 10:42:15 AM PST by econ_grad
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To: Diva Betsy Ross
I have a 6 year old Math wizard and I am not certain what direction to take so math continues to be so much fun for him.

Activities involving math (even covertly) work well. I did well in math in my youth, but really started to enjoy it when I could the practical appliactions.

44 posted on 12/16/2004 10:44:36 AM PST by Professional Engineer (All wisdom is from the Lord, and with him it remains forever. ~ Ecclesiasticus 1.1)
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To: DoWhatsRight

hardly surprising! With maturity, people learn faster mostly because they have an end goal in sight. I wish I went to grad school with a little real-life experience. I went straight out of college and was clueless for the longest time.


45 posted on 12/16/2004 10:44:58 AM PST by econ_grad
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To: IYAAYAS

Awesome. You obviously faced your demons head-on and succeeded. Few people have that kind of perservance. Congratulations.


46 posted on 12/16/2004 10:46:08 AM PST by Nataku X (For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?)
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To: IYAAYAS

You missed out on Linear Algebra? If you're an EE, you'll definitely need that for any controls systems analysis courses you'd need to take...wish I did. (Just finished my controls course as of Tuesday...) Anyway, congrats!


47 posted on 12/16/2004 10:50:21 AM PST by Andonius_99
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To: Andonius_99

The only reason I took calculus was to sit next to Ingrid Nylen.

I got a C, because I was sitting next to Ingrid Nylen...

Woe woe woe is me...

GeoR


48 posted on 12/16/2004 10:58:15 AM PST by GRRRRR (Proud to be an American in a RED COUNTY!)
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To: Professional Engineer
I'm getting a vision. LOL

I think I didn't make it obvious enough that my comment was humorous. It's that darn deadpan delivery...

Or maybe it's just humor that only math geeks would appreciate.

49 posted on 12/16/2004 11:07:19 AM PST by Joe Bonforte
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To: IYAAYAS

Okay, now how about a nice proof based course on formal languages and automata? That gets real fun.


50 posted on 12/16/2004 11:15:38 AM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: EEDUDE

Another Amen! and not just for DE. Use programing and compuers for all sorts of math.


51 posted on 12/16/2004 11:17:32 AM PST by jimbergin
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To: IYAAYAS


52 posted on 12/16/2004 11:18:40 AM PST by Chode (American Hedonist ©® - Dubya... F**K YEAH!!!)
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To: IYAAYAS
discreet mathematics class over the summer for good measure

Discreet math? Means you turn homework in in a plain, brown paper bag? No one under 18 admitted? The classroom door is locked at the bell and the door window painted black on the inside?

53 posted on 12/16/2004 11:24:13 AM PST by William Terrell (Individuals can exist without government but government can't exist without individuals.)
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To: IYAAYAS

It's been scientifically proven that the more math courses you take, the greater likelihood of "brain explosion" later in life. By the way, SBE (Spontaneous Brain Eruption) is not related to SC (Spontaneous Combustion).


54 posted on 12/16/2004 11:45:24 AM PST by searchandrecovery (A thing is either right, or it's wrong - Ward Cleaver.)
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To: luckystarmom
What would be your advice to someone that is about to embark on the calculus and Diff E journey?

#1 - Know your algebra forwards and backwards. Everybody I've ever seen struggle with calculus didn't have good algebra skills.

#2 - Work many, many problems. Redo the ones you get wrong. Repeat ad infinitum/ad nausem.

55 posted on 12/16/2004 11:46:20 AM PST by Ranxerox
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To: Chode

That proof is bogus!

"Girls require time AND money" means: Girls = Time + Money.

If it had said something like "Getting girls is the product of time and money," THEN it would be right.

Jeez...lousy math illiterates!


56 posted on 12/16/2004 11:52:11 AM PST by Future Snake Eater ("Stupid grandma leaver-outers!"--Tom Servo)
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To: ProudVet77
Thanks for all the replies and congratulations!

So many Q's, I'll try to answer them all at once:

I actually took calc 3,DEQ AND engineering physics all in the same semester, got an A in the physics course :).

My advice on the conceptual part is to understand the power of e, I think of e as the God number. The higher you go in math the more e shows up, I spent a few sleepless nights lying in bed just pondering e, I love e, he's my buddy.

I'm happy I'm finished with math in one sense, but sad in another. I'll miss calculus, I wish there was more. 3D vector fields was my favorite...mmmmm vectors.

My major is EE. I love electric train sets.

As far as DEQ is concerned, it seems like everything I ever learned in any math class was geared towards eventually taking DEQ. So many obscure concepts came back to haunt me: the mean value theorem, the ratio test for summations, and implicit differentiation to name a few. this was the last problem on my final:
solve using the power series expansion method(x^2+1)Y''-XY'+Y=0. Oh yea, solving SYSTEMS of 2nd order DEQ's was loads of fun.
Discreet mathematics was for the smart people, all the dumb kids were sent to the discrete math class ;). I never bragged I could spell...
I'm seriously considering breaking my "no drinking till dark' rule.
MERYY CHRISTMAS ALL
57 posted on 12/16/2004 11:56:05 AM PST by IYAAYAS (Live free or die trying)
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To: IYAAYAS
WOW. I started my professional life as a EE type. But was trained on tubes and transistors :(
They had just come out with the earliest ICs.
Eventually I got into software by way of writing diagnostics for the hardware, and then eventually OS drivers for the hardware and so on.
Just remember in the job market there are a lot more software jobs than hardware jobs, at least in the computer business.
FWIW - It's dark in London right now, so you wouldn't be breaking your rule. :)
58 posted on 12/16/2004 12:23:06 PM PST by ProudVet77 (Beer - It's not just for breakfast anymore.)
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To: Future Snake Eater
since you put it that way, wouldn't it be Time2 + Money???
you need time to make the money as well as to chase girls.

i count my self blessed for a degree requiring only algebra, geometry, trigonometry and stats...

59 posted on 12/16/2004 12:35:26 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist ©® - Dubya... F**K YEAH!!!)
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To: GRRRRR

Would that be Wittenberg Ingrid?


60 posted on 12/16/2004 12:37:51 PM PST by jigsaw (God Bless Our Troops.)
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