Other Should I Become a Mathematician?

[ekrim]

Because before I hit University, I used to love doing maths problems. Not necessarily ones covered in the high school syllabus. The joy of solving a difficult problem that you've been at for a long time! The excitement of arriving at a simple answer to what looked like a comlpex question. The joy of finding connections and the way the mathematics works! I used to love maths, but this first year maths course has really bored me, and now I think majoring in pure maths is not for me.



I agree, that is the way with most of my first year courses.



Do you mean this very thread? If so, I think I have read the first page or two, but I will go back now and read more of the thread.

I didn't become interested until after lower level math. Diff eq, multivariable, etc were filled with uninterested non-majors, and the homework was long and thoughtless. Once I reached upper level math, there are less homework problems that require deeper thought and it feels exciting to dive deeper and deeper into the subject. If at all possible try your best now even if it is boring, because youd regret having a lukewarm background in lower math later on.

 

[teleport]

I don't know if this is of any use, but during my first year second semester, I was very much bored by electricity and magnetism class, even though that was my major concentration back then. This was quite a change for me since I always loved physics before university. As a result, I also didn't study almost at all, and my mark wasn't the best. Now I think there is a similarity with your situation here, because now, whenever they talk about modern physics (what I'm taking now) my eyes open up wide, and I just love going to that class. So, I was afraid initially that I wouldn't like physics, but as you can see, it was probably that specific subject. So try and see if you like linear and abstract algebra. They are as important as the other. But then again, Calc is so important too...

 

[qspeechc]

Wow, talk about doppelganger...I feel exactly the same way about my electricity and magnetism course. I thought I'd take my second major in applied maths or physics, but this physics course has put me off the idea.
I guess the point is to just grind through the first year.

 

[mathwonk]

or to take more honors courses

 

[qspeechc]

? You mean major in more than three things?

 

[teleport]

Well, you could do a challenging, maybe COMP Minor for example. For example, the COMP MINOR in my university requires me to take 8 courses, for a total of two comp classes per year. The neat thing is, that you can do all of them in the summer, making it totally doable. Also, because you are already majoring in two highly respectable subjects (and they probably consider you an "intellectually capable"/hard working student) you may ask them to replace the courses in the Minor with the ones the majors take. As I said, if you take them in the summer, this is attainable (if you like it, and are prepared to put some extra effort). Think of it this way, the opportunity is given to you to be better educated; why not take it if you can and want it? I have made up my mind, and will at least give it a try.

There are so many subjects that are just so damn interesting. Don't fix yourself with the idea that people are just good at something more than the other. That might just be an ilussion. But be true to yourself, and live the moment, and follow what is your passion at the moment. Even mathematicians get bored of math, they take a break, do something else for which they have a passion, only to come back later, ONLY because they like it. So, I would guess that it is useful to try many things, so that later on in the future, you pursue whatever you feel like at the moment.

You like math, not so much calc. You like that girl, but you hate her mom. So what? Who in this world can tell you that if you don't like calc, then you don't like math!? That's absurd! Just do whatever you like. A couple of years ago I sent an email to a mathematician asking him what should I read to make myself better at math becuase I loved it. I was stoned not so much because he did really reply, but becuase he just said this: "Just go to a math store, look for a couple of books; if you find something that looks interesting, and you wish to learn it, just take it". He never mentioned anything about calc, algebra, or whatever! I thought that I understood what he meant, and I think that quote is full of wisdom.

 

[teleport]

Mahtwonk, this might be a stupid question, just out of curiosity, is there an object that could contain a sphere, have more than three dimensions, and have a surface so that for each point in the sphere inside it, and a tangent through it (the pt.), there is at least one tangent of the object that is both perpendicular to the previously mentioned tangent and points towards the center of the sphere? Don't ask me why I want to know this because my excuse will sound crazy :) Thanks.

 

[teleport]

I have been thinking about an object with some sort of rectilinear zigzag shape on the surphace, so there might not be a need for more than 3D. But if that is right, I wonder if there is some other shape.

 

[teleport]

Maybe more interesting if a restriction is that there is one-to-one correspondence between the tangents of the sphere and the tangents that have the properties above. Now I realize that perhaps I should be worrying a little bit more with my broken car than this.

 

[mathwonk]

q: major schmajor. there are usually choices available for math courses, you can choose regualr or honors versions. honors versions are for people who want a challenge and a good teacher and deep coverage. are you saying that at your uni these courses are reserved for majors?

 

[mathwonk]

tele: work backwards, for every point on your sphere, take the tangent and perp that you are describing, and try to construct your containing object with the properties you want.

 

[Werg22]

Are most pure mathematicians and pure math students full of themselves, like the ones I keep on meeting?

 

[teleport]

Oh well, I admit I might be, even though I do not know any other in my class that is. Maybe it has to do with regional math culture then. Perhaps some people should restrict the liberty with which they speak up their own mind, especially when they do not notice what they do, even if not to follow common general social guidelines, as I should. Thanks.

 

[ekrim]

Are most pure mathematicians and pure math students full of themselves, like the ones I keep on meeting?

No, but they will try to instill fear in others to ease their own wavering egos. I.e. saying how easy they thought the test was and how much of a joke the class is, although they go on to get a C-B. At least at my school.

 

[PowerIso]

Are most pure mathematicians and pure math students full of themselves, like the ones I keep on meeting?

I like to say the same about the engineer students, but I know better. For the most part, I just remember them being engineer majors because they were jerks. To the same extent, I realize I know just as many, if not more, engineer majors that are cool people, just I don't associate the niceness to engineering.

Anyway, I can say that pure math students can be cocky, but I think cocky can be confused with confidence. It takes high confidence and esteem to be a pure math student. You'll fail more often than succeed :D

 

[mathwonk]

yeah we're pretty much all insecure jerks, but we're funny, and good looking.

but that doesn't mean you can't be the first self effacing, stylish, confident, kind and generous math guy!

 

[mathwonk]

by the way i was kind of proud of our 60,000 hits and turned on the tv to some stupid rock band wearing johnny cash black, with a website with 60,000,000 hits!

and all they do is wiggle and jump up and down!

hey, i can do that ! I CAN DO THAT !

but i have to turn my brain off first. another glass of bordeaux should do it.

 

[Urkel]

Yeah, mathematicians are cool, classy, "sublime"

who wants to be a mathematician?
I definitely wanted to be a mathematician, my primary school dream
and I would be a mathematician now if the the terror and myth saying that doing maths and science prevents people from getting rich, never succeeded to deceive me
I am now doing graduate study in physics and taking some pure maths courses though, at an age 3 to 4 years older than average age of my fellow classmates, doing undergrad stuff like real and complex analysis, how pathetic!
I have never even completed pure maths linear algebra, as engineering student, what I knew was all only abt matrix
Lucky you are math people and I always say to my science friends "U r lucky"
At least I still have a younger sister whom I will force to do maths till PhD or even further
Hehehe Yes (I can finally make a revenge to pragmatism and anti-idealism)
I'd like to know how society/people in your place view mathematicians/scientists?
idealistic human beings who choose to make their life difficult doing dry thing for the shake of satisfaction of proving theorems or postulatng a new theory in denial of lucrative life of businessman/politician/medic?

 

[Darkiekurdo]

I see mathematicians and physicists as the brightest people in the world. :P

 

[teleport]

What would the world be without the engineers? What would the engineers be without the scientists? Would would the scientists be without mathematicians? What would the mathematicians be without, ahh..., oops don't know.

 

[Darkiekurdo]

I thinks mathematicians need logicians. And vice versa.

 

[teleport]

But you do not see them as one of the brightest then? Doesn't seem consistent nor logical. Unless they had a great start back in the greek days, and became slopy now. But I don't know. Anyways, it is true. I've actually never thought of it. Did the rigorous logic of the mathematics of the greeks develop independently on its own in the mathematics, or were the logic axioms of the time taken and adapted to mathematics?

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

"logic axioms of the time"

if logic were based on a specific time it wouldn't be logic.

yes you might say now there are non classical logics, but to have them you still first needed the notion of classical logic to begin with.

 

[J77]

It's a dangerous game to start catergorising oneself as either a mathematician, a physicist, or an engineer -- don't narrow your options!

 

[teleport]

loop, but even logic can be flawed to become ilogical. All of that which was considered logical during that period may not have been correct. Hence I could use that expression as I please. I remebered once picking up a book about logic written by, I think Aristotle, and was surprised to not understand a thing. Those guys of more than two millenia ago sure were smart.

 

[teleport]

Oh I see. You meant the use of "logic" by its definition. I meant it as the subject and knowledge (right or wrong) of it. I guess if I didn't hand-wave from the beginning we would both agree to be right from the start. :)

 

[pivoxa15]

Mathwonk, I noticed many upper maths textbooks don't have answers at the back. What does it take to confidently do these exercises knowing there are no answers to look up?

 

[Werg22]

I like to say the same about the engineer students, but I know better. For the most part, I just remember them being engineer majors because they were jerks. To the same extent, I realize I know just as many, if not more, engineer majors that are cool people, just I don't associate the niceness to engineering.

Anyway, I can say that pure math students can be cocky, but I think cocky can be confused with confidence. It takes high confidence and esteem to be a pure math student. You'll fail more often than succeed :D

There's a difference between being cocky and to expect nothing less than people bowing down to you.

 

[PowerIso]

There's a difference between being cocky and to expect nothing less than people bowing down to you.

I think people confuse the two a lot. Especially when you first meet a person.

 

[mathwonk]

pivoxa, when the problem is a proof, you know if you have it or not, so no answers are needed. when it is a calculation, to be sure you have it right, you need two ways to do it so you can compare answers.