Can Self-Taught Math Boost My BS in Math Preparation?

  • Thread starter Thread starter stevema
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on a community college student preparing to transfer for a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. With general education requirements completed, the student is concerned about taking only two courses next semester: pre-calculus and either statistics or computer science. They seek advice on advanced math topics to self-study to enhance their skills and ensure they are not falling behind. Recommendations include studying a specific math book that aligns well with their future studies and reading Richard Courant's "What is Mathematics?" for foundational insights, even if some material may be challenging. This approach aims to provide a solid groundwork for their upcoming math courses.
stevema
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
I'm currently attending cc planning to transfer for a BS in math. However, due to poor planning, all my general ed is finished, but I still need a lot of math. Next semester, I'll be taking pre-cal and either stat or comp sci. With such a light course load, is there any more advanced math I should start teaching myself? Or anything else I should start working on to give myself a leg up in future classes? Kind feels like I'll be slacking off only taking two classes.
Thanks.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
stevema said:
I'm currently attending cc planning to transfer for a BS in math. However, due to poor planning, all my general ed is finished, but I still need a lot of math. Next semester, I'll be taking pre-cal and either stat or comp sci. With such a light course load, is there any more advanced math I should start teaching myself? Or anything else I should start working on to give myself a leg up in future classes? Kind feels like I'll be slacking off only taking two classes.
Thanks.
Learning this book along with pre-calc would be useful to a future math degree.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0387967877/?tag=pfamazon01-20
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks, seems perfect for me.
 
Also, I would recommend you read the famous book by Richard Courant "What is Mathematics?" Even if you don't understand everything or can't solve any of the problems, I think the insight provided just by being exposed to the material would be beneficial to any future math major.
 
I’ve been looking through the curricula of several European theoretical/mathematical physics MSc programs (ETH, Oxford, Cambridge, LMU, ENS Paris, etc), and I’m struck by how little emphasis they place on advanced fundamental courses. Nearly everything seems to be research-adjacent: string theory, quantum field theory, quantum optics, cosmology, soft matter physics, black hole radiation, etc. What I don’t see are the kinds of “second-pass fundamentals” I was hoping for, things like...
TL;DR Summary: I want to do a PhD in applied math but I hate group theory, is this a big problem? Hello, I am a second-year math and physics double major with a minor in data science. I just finished group theory (today actually), and it was my least favorite class in all of university so far. It doesn't interest me, and I am also very bad at it compared to other math courses I have done. The other courses I have done are calculus I-III, ODEs, Linear Algebra, and Prob/Stats. Is it a...
Back
Top