Adv. Math for Engineers and Scientists or App. Complex Analysis?

[cordyceps]

I'm a physics major and I have space for one more class the coming fall semester: either advanced mathematics for engineers and scientists or applied complex analysis.

Advanced Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists- Vector analysis, Fourier analysis and partial differential equations. Prerequisites: Calc III and Differential Equations

Applied Complex Analysis- Analytic functions, complex integration, Taylor and Laurent series, residue theorem, conformal mapping, and harmonic functions. Prerequisite: Calc III

I'm leaning towards applied complex analysis because most of the topics in advanced mathematics for engineers and scientists will be covered in two classes I'll be taking later: Mathematical Methods in Physics I&II. Is complex analysis useful for the undergraduate physics major? (I will be taking Linear Algebra and a mathematical structures course at the same time.) Thanks in advance.

 

[ice109]

im taking applied complex analysis right now. i haven't learned anything i didn't already know or isn't exactly analogous to calculus. i guess eventually we'll get to calculus or residues but so far this class has been a joke and a waste of time. take the engineering math class. pdes and Fourier series are important in quantum.

 

[Dr Transport]

I would take the advanced math course, not the complex variables. The topics in the advanced math course you will use daily as a physics major and practicing physicist and the complex variables you'll learn as you need them.

 

[physics girl phd]

I'd also take the advanced math course... particularly because it has Fourier Analysis and PDE. I took a course that covered similar material (called "Boundary Value Problems") and it was one of the best (most useful) courses I ever had in mathematics.

 

[cordyceps]

Alrighty then. Thanks for the replies, everyone!

 

[maze]

Complex analysis shows up all over the place if you dig beneath the surface a bit. It's also a very pretty subject from a purely mathematical point of view.

Now I agree with everyone here that Fourier analysis and PDE are very very important for physics and engineering. However, if you are going to learn it in another class anyways, why not take complex analysis?