Math "road map" for learning college math

In summary, you should concentrate on mathematics that will be relevant to the engineering courses you are taking.
  • #1
LLT71
73
5
Hey people, I study engineering but our math is very poor here. We basically do high school maths with the addition of slightly complicated integrals. So here is the deal. As I want to be a better engineer I'm asking someone to give me specific ordered list of what math's I should attack next, after high school maths. I was really good at HS Calculus and have strong foundation of math before it (I think!). Now I want to have ordered list such that, when I start learning first one from the list it assumes you have good foundation of previous ones and no more than that! So I need some kind of a algorithm of math learning. Thanks in advance!
 
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  • #2
This depends on the way topics and courses are formed in the region or districts where you are.

One set of routes can be this:
(drawing a map-like structure would be better than what I'm showing here)

Arithmetic and Basic Mathematics, including , "Consumer Mathematics", Measurements, Simple Statistics and Data and Commonest of Geometry; Introductory Algebra, Geometry, Intermediate Algebra, Trigonometry, College Algebra or College Algebra & Trigonometry (Precalculus); Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1, 2, 3, ...

Check with your colleges or universities further for their programs and courses.
 
  • #3
Thanks! They are formed in such a fashion where we are doing them and don't have proper understanding of maths behind and all we get is something like this "Here is Fourier transform, here are their properties. Let's do some basic problems. Done!". In my opinion you first need to ponder Linear algebra and group theory (not sure if only that, but as far as I am reading) in order to fully appreciate FT not just seeing it as something descended from God. Well, I need opinions from people like you for example to tell what every engineer (no matter what branch) needs to know in maths to be called AN engineer after finishing faculty.
 
  • #4
I hate when they try to teach you the math in courses to which they apply. It is often incomplete and does not give you enough time to fully become accustom to the intricacies of the math.

Have you tried googling "math for scientists and engineers" for appropriate books. Typically they will cover more or less multiple integrals, Fourier and Laplace transforms, linear algebra/matrices, ordinary differential equations, partial differential equations/special functions, vector analysis(calculus). complex analysis, probability/statistics. Depending on your specialization some are more important than others.
 
  • #5
gleem said:
I hate when they try to teach you the math in courses to which they apply. It is often incomplete and does not give you enough time to fully become accustom to the intricacies of the math.

Have you tried googling "math for scientists and engineers" for appropriate books. Typically they will cover more or less multiple integrals, Fourier and Laplace transforms, linear algebra/matrices, ordinary differential equations, partial differential equations/special functions, vector analysis(calculus). complex analysis, probability/statistics. Depending on your specialization some are more important than others.

me too! and yes I have searched for it but I don't know in which order I should learn. I don't want to just "try something new" and after few lections find out I've just wasted my time and I had to already learn something before it in order to understand it. so I'm not telling "math roadmap" in order to sound fancy. :D
 
  • #6
I would review the subjects that I am familiar with first to see If I have missed something fill in any holes so to speak Find book withs applications like Schaums's Outline series. I'm a physicist but like applications so I would concentrate the math that will be relevant to the engineering courses that you will be taking. What type of engineering are you interested in?
 
  • #7
Additionally to the "road map" given, be sure to check the PROGRAM in which you hope to enter, and read the listed Math courses and their prerequisite courses. ALL engineering students will need Trigonometry, Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1,2,3, and a course or combination course on Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. AT LEAST..., and some may need or want more.
 
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  • #8
gleem said:
I would review the subjects that I am familiar with first to see If I have missed something fill in any holes so to speak Find book withs applications like Schaums's Outline series. I'm a physicist but like applications so I would concentrate the math that will be relevant to the engineering courses that you will be taking. What type of engineering are you interested in?

teletraffic engineering but I would like to have math knowledge to understand "general math for engineer no matter which branch" if I ever want to orient towards something else, but basically physics and math you need to know for electrical engineering is almost the same as for teletraffic and other related programes
 

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