Need Advice: Struggling with Physics & Programming

  • Context: Studying 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Mulz
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Drop Physics
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a participant's struggles with programming and mathematics in the context of their Medical Physics studies. The participant expresses feelings of inadequacy compared to peers and seeks advice on improving their understanding and performance in these subjects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster (OP) feels overwhelmed by programming and mathematics, particularly in Linear Algebra and MATLAB, and questions their intelligence.
  • Some participants suggest that the educational system may not adequately support diligent students, while others argue that individual effort may not always be sufficient for success.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of foundational skills in mathematics, suggesting that gaps in prior knowledge could hinder current learning.
  • Another participant proposes that the OP might benefit from exploring different study techniques and collaborating with classmates to address specific struggles.
  • There is a suggestion that MATLAB becomes easier with a solid understanding of matrix manipulation, which is tied to Linear Algebra.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the OP's situation, indicating that if other students are succeeding, the issue may lie with the OP rather than the course itself.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of views regarding the role of the educational system versus individual capability. While some believe the system should better accommodate students, others maintain that personal effort and foundational knowledge are critical for success. The discussion remains unresolved with competing perspectives on the source of the OP's struggles.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the potential impact of prior educational experiences on current performance, indicating that gaps in foundational knowledge may affect understanding of advanced topics. There is also a recognition of the variability in individual learning styles and the effectiveness of different study methods.

  • #31
NFuller said:
... I see no reason why ANYONE who puts forth such effort could not learn the material and pass the class.
russ_watters said:
I guess that's an admirable philosophy for a teacher, but it is wildly unrealistic/false. Some people just aren't smart enough to learn difficult subjects.
Some students are unable to learn well in some particular course the first time through, and need to repeat it; sometimes for more than a single course. This may, depending on specific department, major or related, indicate a need to change major field; otherwise, doing the courses (such as prerequisites), if not too many, TWICE to pass properly is what the student must do.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
Reverse engineering is a good idea when you are learning programming.
But before reverse engineering you have to know the basics (variable declariation, conditional statements, loops, etc)

I don't see what is your problem/difficulty when programming? Creating an algorithm? The language syntax?
I think the first thing you have to know is the creation of the algorithm, then it is just syntax.

If you can understand math and physics, then programming is going to be easy for you (in my opinion).
I didn't have trouble because i learned it in my high school and had advantage over the others.
 
  • #33
I was a lot younger then, but I had this exact feeling...
Mulz said:
Just seem as if it's impossible for me to learn because of how dumb I am.
The subject was extremely difficult but, finally, I was able to master... knot theory !
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
Replies
32
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
832
Replies
40
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K