Take partial differential equations or not

Link-

Hi,

I'm an undergrad student on Mechanical Engineer, right now I am taking my last math class in my curriculum, Numerical Analysis. I was thinking of taking the partial differential equations class, that is not in my curriculum, to improve my math skills and knowledge.

But my question is How important is partial differential equations on mechanical engineering? and there is a big different between ordinary and partial differential equations?

People, what do you recommend?

ice109

pdes are very important everywhere. take it

ekrim

I am an undergraduate mechanical engineer as well, who decided to take the two course PDE sequence at my school. I think it'd be wise if you're going to grad school, but would be extraneous if you're going into industry.

Link-

Yes, I will be going to grad school. I think I will take the course.

mathwonk

i wish i had taken it.

user101

Would this apply to EE's? (that are not going to grad school for EE)?

leon1127

every EE and ME student should accept the enjoyable torment of PDE.

mathwonk

the 3 fundamental pdes are: the wave equation, the heat equation, and laplaces equation.

do any of these topics sound important to your field?

Link-

How about fourier series?

The pdes course is mixed with fourier series.

Dr Transport

How can you say that PDE's are extraneous if going ito industry???? I am in industry and I use them every day.

leright

Well, at least for entry level engineering jobs and less research oriented engineering jobs (which most engineers with BS degrees and many with MS degrees would hold) do not extensively require advanced mathematics, as most highly computational tasks are done with a computer program. This is just my observation from my limited experience.

However, understanding PDEs and other more advanced mathematical topics are essential to understanding many engineering and physical concepts. For this reason, knowing PDEs is essential.

leright

Fourier analysis and PDEs are ubiquitous in any electrical engineering curriculum and are essential for understanding many EE concepts.

ekrim

Sorry, I was just referring to the average out-of-college job, where all the necessary information on PDE's would be learned in your mechanical engineering classes.

Dr Transport

I wouldn't say that, I work with many young engineers who have nothing but a BS degree and they use PDE's all the time. Having worked in the aerospace industry in the past, everyone from propulsion to thermites to operational analysists work with PDEs....

mathwonk

fourier series are atechnique for solving des and pdes.

Link-

I would like to buy a book on PDE, to start some reading before I could get the PDE course.

I found the book used by the Math Department "Fourier Series and Boundary Value Problems" but before buying a book I will like to know which book do you guys recommend.

Which book for learning PDE do you guys recommend?

las3rjock

A fairly standard PDE textbook is "Applied Partial Differential Equations" by Haberman.

Just out of curiosity, is your course textbook "Fourier Series and Boundary Value Problems" by Brown and Churchill?