Mathematics classes that will help with physics (list included)

ahsanxr

Check out this thread too (and my post over there):

http://www.physicsforums.com/showthr...58#post4271758

TomServo

I'm wondering if I should take complex analysis over the Summer...........it's not required, but I want to go into theory, like GR.

Of course, I say that now, with virtually no formal experience with GR.........

Fredrik

Complex analysis is irrelevant to GR. What you need is differential geometry (which may require topology...which may require real analysis). But complex analysis is fun, will increase your mathematical maturity, and is usually significantly easier than a course in real analysis.

ahsanxr

Absolutely take it if you have the opportunity. Complex analysis is a very basic part of every theorist's toolkit. As far as GR goes, I don't think it's really applicable, but you really don't want to decide this early. How ridiculous does "I'm not gonna take complex analysis even though it's very useful in Quantum Mechanics, QFT and E&M, but not in GR and I only wanna do GR" sound?

jasonRF

As a non-theoretical physicist, but as someone who works somewhere where we hire a reasonable number of physicists to do engineering kinds of work, I second the recommendation of probability theory. You may never need it for theoretical physics, but for many other potential career paths it is quite useful. I am baffled that it isn't a requirement for everyone in the pure and applied sciences.

Complex analysis is a useful tool in general, and at least a few times a year (working as an engineer) I end up using complex analysis - usually to try and evaluate some nasty integral that pops up in modeling something (usually it is modelling correlation functions of one sort or another = probability!). It is also a fun and beautiful subject - since it is commonly covered in "math methods" courses that physics departments teach you may already have that topic in your future without an extra course from the math department.