Favorite type of maths

Syth · 03-09-2003 8:11pm #1

What are anyone's favorite type of maths? Eg algebra, calculus, graph theory, number theory etc etc?

Syth · 03-09-2003 8:14pm

Right I'll start it off.
I like number theory, numbers are simple and everyone understands them, and you can say some funky things. Really it depends on my mood, I go through phases...

ecksor · 03-09-2003 8:21pm

Haven't really formed a strong preference yet.

The more I learn about numbers the less I understand them

Stark · 04-09-2003 2:15pm

abstract algebra. mmm.

pooka · 04-09-2003 2:29pm

I'd be more into the abstract algebra side of things myself; I suspect that it's due to my computing background - I'm used to brain-switching between levels of abstraction pretty quickly. I do like most mathematics though; the "purer" the more I appreciate it, in general.

Cian

Imposter · 04-09-2003 2:31pm

Originally posted by k.oriordan
abstract algebra. mmm.

All algebra (above leaving cert standard) is the greatest pile of poo. Down with algebra.

Favourite type of maths: Anything but algebra.

ecksor · 04-09-2003 2:36pm

And what types would they be? I'm trying to think of an area of Mathematics for which Algebra isn't important nowadays ...

Kappar · 04-09-2003 2:37pm

I'm not a big maths guy I'm only at LC level but I like calculus

Imposter · 04-09-2003 2:49pm

Originally posted by ecksor
And what types would they be? I'm trying to think of an area of Mathematics for which Algebra isn't important nowadays ...

Ok sir i'll be quiet now.

(I just wasn't very fond of the pure algebra courses I was subjected to)

ecksor · 04-09-2003 2:55pm

Oh, I can certainly believe that, but it's pretty darn fundamental to just about everything else.

I reckon algebra is one of mankind's greatest and most underrated inventions.

Kappar · 04-09-2003 4:17pm

Can I ask a question? it's off topic for this thread but

I reckon algebra is one of mankind's greatest and most underrated inventions.

Is Algebra an invention or a discovery? I'm not being smart ecksor I just curious.

<edit> Now that i think about it, it would be classed as an invention </edit>

Imposter · 04-09-2003 4:22pm

Originally posted by Kappar
Can I ask a question? it's off topic for this thread but

Is Algebra an invention or a discovery? I'm not being smart ecksor I just curious.

I'd say an accident.:)

ecksor · 04-09-2003 4:23pm

That's a matter for philosophical debate I guess, but I call it an invention

Stark · 04-09-2003 4:52pm

the idea behind algreba is it's totally made up. Although it's nice if you make it up in such a way that it can have applications in the real world.

(for example you could invent algreba with operations that don't follow associativity or commutavity and where division by zero is allowed. It would be perfectly valid, but not of no real world use, just purely academic).

Syth · 04-09-2003 8:27pm

Is Algebra an invention or a discovery?

That question can be applied all areas of maths, even perhaps maths itself. Does a mathematician discover or invent theorms? There was/is a school of thought taking the 'invent' view to the extreme saying that until a conjeture is proven/disproven it is neither true nor false, whereas most people'd say that we don't know the answer yet, they said there is no answer, it's true and false and neither. Freaky...

ykt0di9url7bc3 · 06-09-2003 7:46pm

I dunno but i seem to like Z since we started it in college

Complex numbers comes a close second

Syth · 06-09-2003 7:55pm

I dunno but i seem to like Z since we started it in college

Z? Integers?

ecksor · 06-09-2003 8:10pm

Either that or he could doing Formal methods as part of a discrete mathematics course (he's probably studying computer science?).

ykt0di9url7bc3 · 06-09-2003 8:20pm

The Z notation, a language for expressing mathematical specifications of computing systems, based on logic

4th year Bsc in Applied Computing

Capt'n Midnight · 07-09-2003 2:38pm

& other means of encryption / decryption
/ ciphering

Remember the movie "Sneakers" and the Russian pointing
out "It can't be us - we don't use prime numbers for encryption"

I also like the old tricks
Casting out the nines
how to do square roots by hand ...

fizzy · 07-09-2003 2:44pm

probability would be my favourite, even though i hated the specialised actuarial stuff i did in college...

and my favourite bit from school was projectiles in applied maths for some reason!

Stark · 08-09-2003 10:49am

I hated probability. More like riddle solving than actual maths. So much depended on interpreting english (plus I don't like too much of that real-world stuff even though I liked leaving cert applied maths).

Syth · 08-09-2003 7:25pm

Probability is taught totally the wrong way everywhere including LC Maths. A good book that explains probability and statistics os 'Reckoning with Risk' by Gerd Gigerenzer. He explains how to figure out probabilities and statistics easily and how important they are to modern life. A good book for anyone interested in probabilty or statistics, or anyone who wants to be able to understand probability in our modern life.

fizzy · 08-09-2003 8:36pm

in fairness, i can see why the little bit of probability people get to see in the LC would put you off...

it's completely different to the rest of the course and definitely wrecks your head at first because it's a different way of thinking and all you get to do are a few problems about stupid decks of cards, coins and balls! and you're dead right k - half the battle was understanding the english in the question

but when you look into it, it's really good and i actually like the way it is so connected to the real world. if approached in the right way, it is one of the branches of maths that can encourage others to get into the subject - by simple things that many people are interested in like their chances of winning the lotto etc.

disco_rob_funk · 10-09-2003 10:30pm

no-one got soft spots for mechanics? piss poor!

come on, anyone who digs LC applied maths should lap up a serving of Lagrangians & Hamiltonians as part of a nutritious diet

RC

Favorite type of maths

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