What Should I Do to Improve My Math Skills for Studying Physics in College?

[smart_worker]

i just completed high school with 80%.due to my low percentage i don't think i would get a good college.what to do till i get admission.should i start studying.i wanted to major in physics and do a research in quantum mechanics.what should i do now?where to start?what topics in physics should i be learning now?

 

[Giant]

Make your algebra and geometry more than perfect . Use books like higher algebra by Hall and knight, S L Lonney trigonometry and coordinate geometry, schawm trigonometry. These are the topics which are in your hand right now and can be done independently. They will be of significant use later.

Even I've finished 12th,,, results are yet to arrive. :)

 

[Choppy]

I would spend time following up on your own interests and start a project or two. Personally I do a lot more learning and generate more skills in the context of a project than simply trying to plow through a textbook in the absence of a class.

On top of that, it's important to develop non-academic skills during your out of school time. If you're thinking of pursuing physics, then it's a good idea to have a backup plan if that doesn't work out for you. Think about getting a summer or part-time job or volunteering.

Finally, it will help if you learn to type properly.

 

[Giant]

Yes having a backup plan is a very good point. Although I can't advice much about that.

Learn programming. You could start with python. I personally love it. Every Physicist has to learn it in some point in their life so better start early than later.

 

[smart_worker]

Yes having a backup plan is a very good point. Although I can't advice much about that.

Learn programming. You could start with python. I personally love it. Every Physicist has to learn it in some point in their life so better start early than later.

well languages like python,c++ and java were already learned in 12th

 

[smart_worker]

On top of that, it's important to develop non-academic skills during your out of school time. If you're thinking of pursuing physics, then it's a good idea to have a backup plan if that doesn't work out for you. Think about getting a summer or part-time job or volunteering.

Finally, it will help if you learn to type properly.

i don't know what is backup plan but in my country there isn't any summer job or volunteering for those who finished 12th

 

[Giant]

well languages like python,c++ and java were already learned in 12th

You are quite lucky most of us have to learn them on our own.

Which country do you belong to??,, perhaps some members from your country can help you out!

 

[smart_worker]

Make your algebra and geometry more than perfect . Use books like higher algebra by Hall and knight, S L Lonney trigonometry and coordinate geometry, schawm trigonometry. These are the topics which are in your hand right now and can be done independently. They will be of significant use later.

Even I've finished 12th,,, results are yet to arrive. :)

your suggested book seems to be very much difficult.

i could barely solve 1 question from higher algebra

 

[Giant]

Elementary algebra and higher algebra both by Hall and Knight are among the best books of beginning algebra out there. In future whenever you encounter a book which is termed as 'best",, it will have problems of the same level difficulty if not higher.

Don't solve whole book, it is meant to sharpen your skill. For now only do the topics which you already know. And don't worry no one can solve the problems in first attempt. We have to revise the theory again and again just for the problem to make sense.
For now only solve the topics which you already know,, don't do topics like number theory from higher algebra, there are better books for those topics.
Solve the topics which will increase your maths abilities like the vision to look at equations. For eg. there is a beautiful theorem in chapter 34 (remainder of f(x) when divided by x-a). It gives a proof of horner's method of synthetic division. There are many more beautiful things this was one I encountered first so I mentioned.