Can someone tell me the difference (if any) between these two course?

  • Context: Courses 
  • Thread starter Thread starter flyingpig
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Course Difference
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the differences between two university courses titled "Analysis" and "Real Variables." Participants explore the content, prerequisites, and potential overlap between the two courses, as well as the implications of taking them concurrently. The conversation includes elements of course selection and academic advising.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that both courses appear similar in content, suggesting that taking them concurrently may be feasible.
  • One participant expresses uncertainty about the necessity of taking both courses, indicating that "Real Variables" might encompass the material of "Analysis."
  • Another participant questions whether "Real Variables" is equivalent to "Real Analysis," pointing out that "Real Analysis" typically includes topics like Lebesgue integration, which may not be covered in "Real Variables."
  • Concerns are raised about the clarity of communication from the professor regarding course prerequisites and concurrent enrollment.
  • Some participants share their experiences with course naming conventions at their institutions, noting inconsistencies and lack of clarity.
  • A participant suggests that the "Real Variables" course may cover basic analysis without reaching the depth of a full analysis course.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether "Real Variables" is equivalent to "Real Analysis," and there remains uncertainty about the necessity of taking both courses. The discussion reflects differing interpretations of course content and structure.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention prerequisites and course content but do not provide definitive syllabi or official course descriptions, leading to potential gaps in understanding the exact nature of each course.

flyingpig
Messages
2,574
Reaction score
1
Not in university city anymore so can't go to the academic center to ask. Ask professor who is teaching already and he "isn't sure"

The course is called "Analysis" compared with "Real Variables"

Analysis said:
Provides a rigorous foundation of calculus. Real numbers; limits and continuous functions; differentiation; elementary functions; the elementary real integral; normed vector spaces. Limits in normed vector spaces; compactness, series; the integral in one variable and approximation with convolutions.

Real Variable said:
The real number system; real Euclidean n-space; open, closed, compact, and connected sets; Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem; sequences and series. Continuity and uniform continuity. Differentiability and mean-value theorems. The Riemann or Riemann-Stieltjes integrals. Sequences and series of functions, uniform convergence. Approximation of continuous functions by polynomials. Fourier series. Functions from Rm to Rn, inverse and implicit function theorems.

Since half of those fancy words are foreign to me, i can make no sense of it at all.

The pre-reqs to both course are the same, a proof course

proof said:
Sets and functions; induction; cardinality; properties of the real numbers; sequences, series, and limits. Logic, structure, style, and clarity of proofs emphasized throughout.

Prof said I could take it concurrently, but I have my doubts...

If anyone could help, I am happy.

Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You can safely take these courses concurrently. The two courses look very alike, so I'm not sure if it's necessary to take them both. If I were you, I would take the "real variables" course, which seems to contain everything of the "Analysis" course. So taking one of these courses seems ok by me...
 
micromass said:
You can safely take these courses concurrently. The two courses look very alike, so I'm not sure if it's necessary to take them both. If I were you, I would take the "real variables" course, which seems to contain everything of the "Analysis" course. So taking one of these courses seems ok by me...

They are both a full year course. What is the official name of this course?
 
flyingpig said:
They are both a full year course. What is the official name of this course?

I'm not sure what you mean with "official name". When I was studying, all of this was part of an "Analysis" course. I guess, in America, that the courses you listed would come after calculus and before real analysis and topology.
 
Let's see if I get your question - the professor who is teaching one course says you can take it concurrently with another. You don't believe him, so are asking a bunch of strangers on the internet what they think. Do I have this right?
 
Real Variable = Real Analysis...?

there is an "Applied Complex Variables" course which is like one semester (I say 3-4 months) course...
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Let's see if I get your question - the professor who is teaching one course says you can take it concurrently with another. You don't believe him, so are asking a bunch of strangers on the internet what they think. Do I have this right?

I know that sounds silly, I asked him about it and he gave me an extremely short reply, "yes", so that's why i suspect he "isn't sure"
 
flyingpig said:
Real Variable = Real Analysis...?

No, I don't think that the Real Variable course is a Real Analysis course. In Real Analysis, you would also have to cover Lebesgue integration and stuff, which does not occur in your Real Variables course list.

there is an "Applied Complex Variables" course which is like one semester (I say 3-4 months) course...

This is likely Complex Analysis. You will (probably) need Analysis/Real Variables as a prereq. If not, then the complex variables course is pretty dumbed down and not worth taking :smile:
 
flyingpig said:
I know that sounds silly, I asked him about it and he gave me an extremely short reply, "yes", so that's why i suspect he "isn't sure"

Wait, so he answered you "Yes", and you interpret it as "I'm not sure"?? Strange...
 
  • #10
micromass said:
No, I don't think that the Real Variable course is a Real Analysis course. In Real Analysis, you would also have to cover Lebesgue integration and stuff, which does not occur in your Real Variables course list.

Both are excerpts. I'll ask the prof if he could send me a syllabus.
This is likely Complex Analysis. You will (probably) need Analysis/Real Variables as a prereq. If not, then the complex variables course is pretty dumbed down and not worth taking :smile:

That "Complex variable" course needs Calc III (MVC), it's only offered once every other year.

I don't know why, but pretty much all the courses in my college do not have proper naming codes.

For Linear Algebra, we have "Matrix Algebra". For ODE, we have like four courses with different names about the same subject.

Description said:
Covers analytic functions, Cauchy-Riemann equations, power series, Laurent series, elementary functions, contour integrals, and poles and residues. Introduction to conformal mapping and applications of analysis to problems in physics and engineering.
 
  • #11
micromass said:
Wait, so he answered you "Yes", and you interpret it as "I'm not sure"?? Strange...

No, he just replied with "yes" and nothing else. Like I thought he could add something (even if it is unnecessary) in a full sentence to boost my credibility.

Maybe I am just overreacting.
 
  • #12
flyingpig said:
Both are excerpts. I'll ask the prof if he could send me a syllabus.

Even then, I highly doubt that there will be Lebesgue integration in these courses, as this would already take up half a semester.
It is possible that you would have to take a course on measure theory afterwards, and the Real variables + measure theory course could then be the equivalent of the Real Analysis course.

That "Complex variable" course needs Calc III (MVC), it's only offered once every other year.

Do you also have a Complex Variables (not applied) or Complex Analysis course? I suggest you take that one...

I don't know why, but pretty much all the courses in my college do not have proper naming codes.

For Linear Algebra, we have "Matrix Algebra". For ODE, we have like four courses with different names about the same subject.

It could maybe help if you could post the link of your university site in question...
 
  • #13
flyingpig said:
No, he just replied with "yes" and nothing else. Like I thought he could add something (even if it is unnecessary) in a full sentence to boost my credibility.

Maybe I am just overreacting.

Meet the answering style of professors :smile: I'm sure there is a PhD cartoon on the topic, I'll try to find it...
 
  • #14
Here it is:

phd072508s.gif


I guess that descirbes your experience well :biggrin:
 
  • #15
My understanding is that a "real variables" class is one which goes into basic analysis but not at the level of an actual analysis class, on the flip side you might cover more..

Take this as a grain of salt.
 

Similar threads

Courses Complex Analysis Courses or Complex Variable Courses?
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
4K
Courses Which version of Real Analysis to take?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Admissions I Need some advice about my physics undergraduate options
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Summer Upper Level Math Courses Online?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Studying Reading "How to Prove It" right before taking Calculus I -- Question
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
Courses What topics in Calculus IV are typically in a PDE course?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Programs What core abstractions connect real analysis, probability, operators?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
692
Struggling with Advanced Calculus and Geometry: How to Study and Improve?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
Courses Taking continuous probability over discrete probability?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Courses Quantum Mechanics Math Course
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K