Quantum Math prerequisites for QM by David Griffiths

AI Thread Summary
To thoroughly understand "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by David Griffiths, a solid foundation in several mathematical areas is essential. Key prerequisites include calculus (up to calculus III), ordinary differential equations (ODEs), and linear algebra. Partial differential equations (PDEs) are also beneficial, particularly for understanding the Schrödinger equation, though they may not be strictly necessary for all courses. Vector calculus is deemed less relevant for quantum mechanics specifically, while real analysis courses are not considered essential unless a deeper mathematical understanding is desired. Overall, while a strong math background aids comprehension, it is possible to grasp quantum mechanics without extensive analysis knowledge.
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What math should a person know to THOROUGHLY understand everything in this textbook(Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by David Griffiths)?

(For refrence)
cal2
cal3
diffeq1(ode)
diffeq2(pde)
linealg
vectorcalc
realanal1
realanal2

Please list all you think are necessary. Thanks
 
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unsung-hero said:
What math should a person know to THOROUGHLY understand everything in this textbook(Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by David Griffiths)?

(For refrence)
cal2
calc3
diffeq1(ode)

Definitely

diffeq2(pde)

Yes, PDE theory is useful in QM, since the Schrodinger equation is essentially a PDE. But QM books will almost always teach you how to solve this equation, so PDE courses might not be so useful after all, certainly not if it's a very theoretical course.

linealg

Definitely

vectorcalc

I don't think this will be very useful to QM, it is very useful in other parts of physics like E&M though.

realanal1
realanal2

Definitely not useful. Unless you want to understand the mathematics behind the physics very well, in which case these courses are not enough by far. But again, it is perfectly possible to understand QM well without analysis.
 

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