Thread: toughest math course

  1. #1
    Registered User axon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    2,572

    toughest math course

    hey all, for those who finished all their math reqs, what in your opinion was the toughest math course?

    So far I've taken, calculus 1, 2, and 3, differential equations and I'm currently taking linear Algebra, and that is very easy. The worst course for me was calc 1, but that was probably because I really didn't put too much effort into honors precalc in highschool during my senior year.

    Next week I'm allready signing up for classes for Spring and I'm not sure what to take...here are my options:
    Code:
    Math 430--Formal Logic I (3 hrs) 
    Math 435--Foundations of Number Theory (3 hrs) 
    Math 436--Number Theory for Applications (3 hrs) 
    MCS 421--Combinatorics (3 hrs) 
    MCS 423--Graph Theory (3 hrs) 
    MCS 471--Numerical Analysis (3 hrs)
    any suggestions?

    some entropy with that sink? entropysink.com

    there are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness. - franz kafka

  2. #2
    Toaster Zach L.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    2,686
    Given those choices, I'd probably go for graph theory. Just a personal preference though.

    Well, I've still got a good deal of math ahead of me, but Cal III is what I found most challenging so far.
    The word rap as it applies to music is the result of a peculiar phonological rule which has stripped the word of its initial voiceless velar stop.

  3. #3
    Registered User Xei's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    719

    Re: toughest math course

    Originally posted by axon
    hey all, for those who finished all their math reqs, what in your opinion was the toughest math course?

    So far I've taken, calculus 1, 2, and 3, differential equations and I'm currently taking linear Algebra, and that is very easy. The worst course for me was calc 1, but that was probably because I really didn't put too much effort into honors precalc in highschool during my senior year.

    Next week I'm allready signing up for classes for Spring and I'm not sure what to take...here are my options:
    Code:
    Math 430--Formal Logic I (3 hrs) 
    Math 435--Foundations of Number Theory (3 hrs) 
    Math 436--Number Theory for Applications (3 hrs) 
    MCS 421--Combinatorics (3 hrs) 
    MCS 423--Graph Theory (3 hrs) 
    MCS 471--Numerical Analysis (3 hrs)
    any suggestions?
    I'm not in university / college yet, but to the sounds of it Math 436 and MCS 471 sounds interesting.
    "What are you after - the vague post of the week award?" - Salem
    IPv6 Ready.
    Travel the world, meet interesting people...kill them.
    Trying to fix or change something, only guaruntees and perpetuates its existence.
    I don't know about angels, but it is fear that gives men wings.
    The problem with wanting something is the fear of losing it, or never having it. The thought makes you weak.

    E-Mail Xei

  4. #4
    Registered User axon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    2,572
    Originally posted by Zach L.
    Given those choices, I'd probably go for graph theory. Just a personal preference though.

    Well, I've still got a good deal of math ahead of me, but Cal III is what I found most challenging so far.
    Have you taken graph theory allready? if so can you say anything about it. I found Calc 3 to be the easiest! I could imagine almost everything in 3space pretty well, and the rest was phys mechanics and calc 1 and 2 all over again. Some of my friends had a tough time just because of the imagination factor...so they had to dish out the bill fitty for a TI89

    some entropy with that sink? entropysink.com

    there are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness. - franz kafka

  5. #5
    Toaster Zach L.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    2,686
    No, I haven't taken graph theory yet, but the subject does fascinate me.

    I think the hardest part of calc III for me was that my teacher made us draw out everything, and subsequently graded us on our drawings... Unfortunately, I am a rather poor artist. Imagine an impressionists version of a hyperbolic paraboloid.
    The word rap as it applies to music is the result of a peculiar phonological rule which has stripped the word of its initial voiceless velar stop.

  6. #6
    Pursuing knowledge confuted's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    1,916
    Number theory is actually rather interesting, from what I've studied of it on my own.
    Away.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    6
    i'm a cs major and math minor and i have completed calc 1-3, and diff eq and linear algebra. i'm currently working on 2 upper division math courses and need 2 more (next semester) to complete the minor (i'm actually done with my cs stuff). the 2 i am taking right now are number theory and geometry (no not your average high school geometry). i was also taking real analysis during the few weeks of the semester but dropped it. i would have to say that real analysis was the hardest math course i have come across. also, from math majors i have spoke with, they say modern algebra is a tough one too. by the way, just in my personal opinion, i find number theory to be quite interesting but also difficult (but bearable). anyway, i suggest number theory because every computer science nerd should know a little number theory.

  8. #8
    Toaster Zach L.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    2,686
    Look into abstract (aka modern) algebra as well. A lot of stuff you get in number theory you also get in abstract algebra, though from a slightly different angle. Additionally, there is a lot in the computer science world that deals with groups, polynomial rings, finite fields, etc (all in the domain of abstract algebra). Plus, linear algebra as well as standard arithmetic are both specializations of the algebraic structures that you find in abstract algebra.
    The word rap as it applies to music is the result of a peculiar phonological rule which has stripped the word of its initial voiceless velar stop.

  9. #9
    Senior Member joshdick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Phildelphia, PA
    Posts
    1,146
    I'd say Logic would be the easiest and Number Theory would be the most interesting.
    FAQ

    "The computer programmer is a creator of universes for which he alone is responsible. Universes of virtually unlimited complexity can be created in the form of computer programs." -- Joseph Weizenbaum.

    "If you cannot grok the overall structure of a program while taking a shower, you are not ready to code it." -- Richard Pattis.

  10. #10
    Mayor of Awesometown Govtcheez's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    MI
    Posts
    8,823
    Numerical Analysis is infinitely useful.

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    6
    you might also want to look into probability and statistics. i'm taking probability next semester.

  12. #12
    Registered User axon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    2,572
    Originally posted by Govtcheez
    Numerical Analysis is infinitely useful.
    I think I'll take that as one of my CS electives instead of math if it is "infinately useful".

    I'm meeting my advisor tomprrow and these are the courses I'll show him :
    Code:
    Math 435--Foundations of Number Theory (3 hrs)
    CS 202 -- data structures and discrete math II (3hrs)
    CS 366 -- computer architecture and logic design II (4hrs)
    Russ 242 -- Russian Lit - Tolstoy (3hrs)
    CS 376 -- practicum in cs presentation (1hr)
    HIST 202 -- ancient civilizations: greece (3hrs)
    or
    PHYS 242 -- Phys III modern physics(4hrs)
    so I will either have 17 or 18 credit hours...I will take phys instead of history only if this dick of a professor will not be teaching it.

    what do you guys think?
    Last edited by axon; 10-28-2003 at 10:07 PM.

    some entropy with that sink? entropysink.com

    there are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness. - franz kafka

  13. #13
    Registered User axon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    2,572
    Originally posted by akirakun
    you might also want to look into probability and statistics. i'm taking probability next semester.
    Yes, in my school stats are (still) a requirement; i wanted to take stat 381 this sem but my advisor told me to wait, as it might be taken out of the curriculum.

    some entropy with that sink? entropysink.com

    there are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness. - franz kafka

Popular pages Recent additions subscribe to a feed

Similar Threads

  1. Math
    By knightjp in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 04-01-2009, 05:36 PM
  2. Help with C++ Math
    By aonic in forum C++ Programming
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 01-29-2005, 04:40 AM
  3. Basic Math Problem. Undefined Math Functions
    By gsoft in forum C Programming
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12-28-2004, 03:14 AM
  4. Math Header?
    By Rune Hunter in forum C++ Programming
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 09-17-2004, 06:39 AM
  5. Math...
    By TeQno in forum C Programming
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 07-24-2003, 07:21 AM