I just cannot decide what book to work through next

[DeadWolfe]

Real and Complex Analysis - Rudin
Algebra - Hungerford
or
Differential Gometry of Curves and Surfaces - Do Carmo

Since I've spent all day without being able to decide I am asking pf to pick for me. Please tell me which to read.

 

[JasonRox]

I'm saying Complex Analysis because it leads to so many great areas, so do the others but I think this subject is the most interesting of the 3.

Keep in mind that I don't know much about Differential Geometry if anything.

So, how do you read it? Just read it like a book? Or do you ponder and solve problems?

 

[DeadWolfe]

Read, take notes and memorize deifinitions, try to understand proofs of theorems, and work out some (but rarely if ever all) of the problems.

 

[JasonRox]

Read, take notes and memorize deifinitions, try to understand proofs of theorems, and work out some (but rarely if ever all) of the problems.

I strongly recommend solving problems.

Not all of them though. You'd end wasting all your time. I usually try to solve half of them, but no more than 10 (and no less than 5). I usually do the first three, read the others and choose which I think would benefit me the most.

I never take notes or memorize anything really. If I understand it, that's good enough for me.

I do assign some review sections though. Sections that I feel weren't as smoothly read. Sure I'd probably understand everything I read, but I want it to be something that would come naturally because that avoids memorizing it.

Basically, if you were in my class and saw me writing everything down, there is a good chance that I don't understand it. If I'm not writing notes, than I understand it. I hate writing notes. I prefer to contemplate and ponder about the subject at hand.

 

[DeadWolfe]

As do I, and I never take notes in class, but I find that when do self study if I do not take notes it becomes easy to lose focus as soon as I run across something I do not immediatley understand.

 

[JasonRox]

As do I, and I never take notes in class, but I find that when do self study if I do not take notes it becomes easy to lose focus as soon as I run across something I do not immediatley understand.

Do whatever works.

 

[Cyrus]

Go play outside. <the sunlight it burns!>

 

[DeadWolfe]

What in the sam heck is sunlight?

 

[Archon]

If I was in your position, I'd go with Differential Geometry. But that's just me. It's the one I find most interesting, I'd think...with Complex Analysis a close second. And it's also the only one I haven't really looked into that much yet. Follow your heart! It's like...a quest! To rescue the mathematical princess! And there's 3 of them...and you have to choose the most beautiful, and you get to marry her! Yay! Right...this is getting kinda...lack-of-sleep-ish.

 

[tribdog]

kinda?

I recently looked back at some of the notes I took in college and I have such horrible handwriting I can't even be sure what class they were from let alone what they say although I could read them at the time

 

[topsquark]

Study none of the above. You obviously need to study the essence of life: Quantum Field Theory.

-Dan

 

[rachmaninoff2]

topsquark is wrong. The essence of life is actually macrobiology.

 

[Archon]

You're both wrong. I am the essence of life.

 

[rachmaninoff2]

Then you must be a macrobiote.

 

[Archon]

Hey! Respect my differences!

 

[DeadWolfe]

Well, I'm working through Real and Complex Analysis.

Man it's hard.

 

[scott1]

What in the sam heck is sunlight?

I never herd of it too but it says on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunlight" .The sun must billions of light years it sounds like soppsed to be bright I think that has to be the only to explain why havn't seen it and why it's so bright

 

[scott1]

Well, I'm working through Real and Complex Analysis.

[edit=DreadwolfeName]"math"[edit] i[delete]"t"[/delete]s hard ["2]edit[/edit].

Do you like your name, Math is Hard 2?

 

[JasonRox]

Well, I'm working through Real and Complex Analysis.

Man it's hard.

Just keep at it you'll get it.

If you don't, try a looking into more specialized books that teach Real and Complex Analysis as separate entities.

 

[DeadWolfe]

Thanks for the support Jason. As it happens there are certainly many different books which I could learn about the topics from, but people reccomend Rudin as being fantastic. Nonetheless, I might wind up only working through the Real Analysis part.

 

[DeadWolfe]

And maybe not even all of that...

 

[JasonRox]

And maybe not even all of that...

Reading a math book should be a slow process.

Set your goals small and stick to them. Before you know, you will have read lots.

Too many people rush through, and that's not how math is done.

 

[Dawguard]

You're both wrong. I am the essence of life.

Of course you are. You are a human being, in which case you encapsulate all the qualities that make up humanity, as do we all. Since the essence you refer to is an abstract concept that can be conceived and created by any human, and because you are a human, you are the essence and being of your own life in every possible way.

 

[Thrice]

Well, I'm working through Real and Complex Analysis.

Man it's hard.

It's fun as hell. I had some good teachers, i guess.

 

[DeadWolfe]

It's fun as hell. I had some good teachers, i guess.

More to the point you had teachers at all. Though certinaly I do find it fun. Just hard.

 

[JasonRox]

More to the point you had teachers at all. Though certinaly I do find it fun. Just hard.

You want it hard though.

The more you learn the further everyone else is from learning what you know.

 

[Thrice]

Isn't there some college near you? Somewhere you could sit in a few large classes or something?

 

[DeadWolfe]

Sure, but courses aren't offered every year, and a lot of topics I find interesting aren't offered at all.

 

[JasonRox]

Sure, but courses aren't offered every year, and a lot of topics I find interesting aren't offered at all.

I know it really sucks. You described what my school is.