Applied math...

by born_of_fire
Tags: applied, math
 P: 1 Hi all, my first post here. I am majoring in pure math, but have to take a course this semester called "intro to applied math". A sample of the homework is here. I stared at this for two hours and had no clue how to find the solutions (first parts of both problems). This assignment was due today, and I had nothing to hand in, just to give you an idea of how poorly I am performing so far. I had an A or A+ over three semesters of calculus, and most recently an A- in diff. eq. My understanding of math usually comes quicker to me than it does for many of the engineering and csc types who were also in those classes, so I rarely expect a homework situation like the one I just described. The material covered in this course is, so far, much different than what I would expect from a traditional math course. Have others noticed this difference? Is applied math really closer to being some branch of engineering?
 P: 27 mathematics by itslef has no significance unless it finds it's applications. That's why most of the mathematicians works left without getting published as they were unable to draw parallels with many fields. To my knowledge, the branch of mathematics which has its maximum use are Matrices and Partial Differential equations. These 2 topics will not spare you regardless of your area of work. Regards drdolittle :)
 Sci Advisor HW Helper P: 9,396 Whoa, there drdolittle, are you deliberately trying to bait me? (Seems you have no idea about what mathematics gets published, so I'd be very careful on saying things you can't possibly back up with evidence.)
 Math Emeritus Sci Advisor Thanks PF Gold P: 39,569 Applied math... Yes, drdolittle, MOST of published mathematics is "pure" mathematics which might or might not have applications but that is surely not a condition for publication! Anyway, "born of fire", both of the problems you cite involve the "steady state solution" which just means that it doesn't change in time. Set the time derivative equal to 0 in each equation and you have an ordinary differential equation to solve for the "steady state solution" which you certainly ought to be able to do!
 Sci Advisor HW Helper P: 9,488 is dr dolittle trying to bait us? yes. he is also succeeding.
 P: 1,295 Calc 1-3 and diff eqs form the basics of applied mathematics. Those classes, devoid of applications that force the use of concepts, are almost entirely computational (easy). Take some physics courses.
 P: 27 Can somebody tell me the reason why there is no matheamatics category in Nobel Prize? I hope this question will answer my my standpoint. Regards drdolittle
HW Helper
P: 1,593
 Quote by drdolittle mathematics by itslef has no significance unless it finds it's applications. Regards drdolittle :)
Dolittle, I don't know you but I'll stick up for pure math:

$$f+\frac{\partial f}{\partial x}+\frac{\partial f}{\partial y}= \int_{x}^{\infty} \int_{y}^{\infty} f(u,v) dvdu$$

That's beautiful and its own reward. There's no Nobel Prize for art either.

(it's solution is beautiful as well)

Salty
 Sci Advisor HW Helper P: 9,396 Note, you shouldn't think I'm attempting to justify abstract mathematics by its applications, which might agree with your standpoint. I was pointing out that most research in mathematics is done for its own ends, sometimes that has applications many years later, coincidentally. However the view that only maths that is directly applicable is worthy would have severely restricted the development of such ideas.