What is college math like?

[paganinio]

What is college math like?

 

I have a few questions.

1, Why is my favorite high school olympiad math contents not here? For example, where's number theory? Where's solid geometry? Where's trigonometry? Where's.....? Do they just disappear in college?

 

2, this is a much more important question. I FALL FOR HIGH SCHOOL MATH OLYMPIAD PROBLEMS. I enjoy the beauty of problem solving there. Am I likely to fall for college math too? You might say "Sure!" But I've read some college math books--they really look quite different. I suppose that every problem solving fan has a BRAIN LIMIT, and she will only feel comfortable when she's solving problems within that limit. No matter how bad she likes math in high school, she's not more likely than others to enjoy college math. How do you think? Should my math career end before college?

[s pepperchin]

If you are curious about college math than you should look at some school websites. You can usually look at what kinds of classes they offer whith breif descriptions.

[GutZ]

It depends, here in Canada as a technicial field (that I am in), it only requires 2 math courses. That's a 2 year course of medium "college" difficulty, I started out in a three year program for material engineering techology which has 3 math course ( I took them all), but I was the only student mixed in with industrials and Mechanicals, and they keep leaving me out, plus when I asked where the course was taking me, they told me nothing, So I dropped down. Anyway If your really into Mathematics, and want a more scientific base, I totally suggest trying for University. Personally I want to go for my engineering degree later on, so this way I gain pratice experience and money to do it.

 

First Math (course)

Highschool review, faster pace.

 

Second Math

Logrithims/Business math/Imaginary numbers/little more advanced geometry/Trig/Basic force stuff

 

Third Math

Imperial equations/Blah/Differential Calculus

 

I was furious with my lack of understanding of Calculus, it made no sense to me. I past that last one, but barely. The rest wasn't so bad, I perfer to get 100% and fly through it, because thats when I enjoy math the most because I completely understand it.

 

Only advice I'd give is look at some of the topics I picked and get a high school review, scan the new stuff you don't know, practice the old stuff, and you'll be far ahead, college is....rushed, so you will be better off in that regards if your strength is math.

[matt grime]

1, Why is my favorite high school olympiad math contents not here? For example, where's number theory? Where's solid geometry?

 

in what way would 'solid' geometry not fall under the heading geometry which, for some reasonl is classified as applied maths here, which is risible.

 

 

Where's trigonometry?

 

trig is hardly a large subject in its own right worthy of a full forum.

 

Where's.....? Do they just disappear in college?

 

no, they just probably don't rate a course named after them

 

Should my math career end before college?

 

 

no, definitely not, math olympiad people make good mathematics majors, generally. but talk to people who are in a better position to advise you than strangers.

 

you might end up favouring the purer courses like combinatorics, group theory, discrete mathematics, and graph theory, try looking at books about them.

[s pepperchin]

the other thing to remember about college is that most schools will give a math placement test to determine what math you have mastered. Usually by the time you are heading into college you have a good enough grasp of algebra, geometry and trig so that you can start with calculus. If however you are going to be a math major than you may take advanced classes that touch on aspects of these subject.