Do I really have to take Calc 4?

[benman]

I'm looking at major requirements for a BS in Chem at universities and they require me taking calculus 4. Do I really have to go that far with math? If you have a chem degree, did you?

[John Cuthber]

I don't know what "calculus 4" covers, but there's a lot of maths in chemistry.

[Enthalpy]

You'll change your specialty five times in your career, so don't chose the lessons only to fit the first one.

I neglected many lessons because I knew exactly what job I wanted to have and what was needed for it, but meanwhile I could have used some math I neglected then.

So, if time allows you, try to learn more than the minimum fitting your first job.

[mississippichem]

I'm looking at major requirements for a BS in Chem at universities and they require me taking calculus 4. Do I really have to go that far with math? If you have a chem degree, did you?

 

As John said, we don't really know what "calculus 4" encompasses at you school. I have a bachelor's in chemistry and during my university time I took four semesters of calculus (two semesters single variable, one multivariable, one advanced topics), two semesters of linear algebra, and two semesters of differential equations. Of those, only three semesters of calculus and one semesters of differential equations was required.

 

I am of the opinion that more math education for anyone even remotely involved in sci/tech is always a good thing. I'm into the physical chemistry thing so my experience in chemistry has required a good bit of mathematical knowledge. If I had it to do over, I would've tagged on an abstract algebra class to make my knowledge of group theory (important to structure and spectroscopy) more rigorous.

 

You may want to be an organic- or biochemist and you may never have to evaluate a line integral or determine the character of an irreducible representation but you can still benefit from the mental heavy weight lifting you would do in an advanced calculus course.

 

If you have any interest in physical chemistry or even physics in general (more physics never hurt a chemist either) then it is quite advisable, and even necessary for you to acquire as much math knowledge as possible. The finer points of thermodynamics, kinetics and pretty much all of the quantum disciplines are unattainable for someone who doesn't have a strong grasp of differential equations and linear algebra.