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thrill3rnit3
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Just wondering. I've always thought that those two areas share some connection so it would be normal to think that those who are good in math is also good in physics.
clope023 said:I know a few math majors that hate physics, the skill sets are a little different it seems and interest in one doesn't necessarily spur interest in the other
You have to keep in mind that female and male brains work differently. In general women have much better rote memory and linguistic skills than men, but their brain isn't focused around spatial-mathematical thinking.Klockan3 said:I think that the best example is girls in general. There are a lot of girls interested in maths but a large majority of them seem to be totally horrid at physics. To me it seems like girls usually takes a much more mathematical approach to physics, I guess that they have worse physical intuition or something like that.
But it could also be that girls with physical intuition don't go to physics, but that would be a bit strange in my opinion since physics is a lot more fun then.
I think it is safe to conclude that you don't have much experience with upper level mathematics (i.e. beyond the computational course like calculus or differential equations).Leptos said:Anyway, as far as I can tell, a lot of mathematics is just knowing your algorithms, but in a sense this could apply to physics as well(just not as concretely).
latitude said:the mechanics of it, the integrals and algebra and whatnot, are generally more numerical and simpler, but the abstract thinking that leads you to what process to use can be a big stumbling block.
I consider the act of moving letters that you do in elementary algebra to be calculation. You usually stop using numbers in both physics and maths courses very quickly except as coefficients for variables.thrill3rnit3 said:For me, I feel like Physics (introductory Physics at least), involves more actual rote calculations than the math I'm currently doing (algebra, analysis), which requires more thinking and little to no actual calculations (elementary algebra).
CharmedQuark said:This alone let's me know that you have never taken an upper division math course.
thrill3rnit3 said:Just wondering. I've always thought that those two areas share some connection so it would be normal to think that those who are good in math is also good in physics.
Ah, but it isn't fair to compare introductory physics with that. Other than that he is right if he meant that maths is less about learning how to solve problems and more about learning how to prove things and how mathematics is structured.Fragment said:I don't think thrillernite is referring to introductory algebra (symbolic manipulatyion). He is most likely referring to algebra such as Boolean algebra.
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toriii said:I've always felt that physics actually required more thinking and logic versus calculus which was more just manipulating equations.
Not necessarily. While having a strong foundation in math is certainly beneficial for understanding physics, the two subjects are quite different and require different skills and approaches.
It is possible, but difficult. Physics is heavily based on mathematical principles and equations, so having a strong grasp of math is necessary for success in physics.
No, being a math genius is not a prerequisite for excelling in physics. While a strong understanding of math is important, it is also necessary to have a deep curiosity and interest in the subject.
Yes, there is often a correlation between math and physics abilities. Both subjects require logical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to understand and apply abstract concepts.
Yes, it is possible to excel in one subject while struggling with the other. As mentioned before, math and physics require different skills and approaches, so a strong understanding in one does not necessarily guarantee success in the other.