What's your level?

[lesli_felix]

I mean what kind of wizardy is everybody here capable of in maths?

Calculus is about my limit.

[wyl_m]

calculus along with a bit of discrete structures

[bit-101]

basic trig.

but i might be using some calculus without knowing it!

[minger]

Undergrad Engineer, so I have had tons of math classes and a few physics.

[lesli_felix]

Cool.
I used to be a bit of prodigy when I was a kid. Solved pick's theorem in 5 minutes when I was twelve year's old. I flunked out though when I discovered girls and beer. I don't even know what discrete structures are...

Still, having enjoyed my youth to the max, time to start learning again.....

[Ed Mack]

I havn't even done KS3 maths yet.. it's simple anyway, the top tier includes some *gosh* simple trig.

[Ian424]

i'm still in geometry. ack

[volf2000]

trig... and some calculus.... but i got college ahead of me....so who knows wat wizardy they'll teach me there?
ales V.

[john_bws]

these were the classes I took in connecticut when working on my BS in mathematics

Discrete Mathematics
Calculus
Combinatorics
Linear Algebra
Theory of Probability
Vector Analysis
Transformations and Geometries
Ordinary Differential Equations
Theory of Numbers
Abstract Algebra
Chaos and Dynamical Systems
Advanced Calculus I
Partial Differential Equations
Algebra I
Algebra II
Advanced Calculus II
Functions of a Complex Variable
Topology
Differential Geometry
Real Variables
Algebra
Topology
Number Theory
Complex Variables

the latter five were graduate classes that were to go towards a MA/PhD but who knew it was so hard to make money for a mathematician? those classes are a total bastardized/americanized version of a proper mathematics education. advanced calculus was nothing more than analysis algebra covered nearly everything (representation theory, group theory, galois theory). the best classes are what you get to later topology, diff. geo., and complex vars. although they dont help you anywhere because now i teach intermediate math and make flash animations to show them concepts

[enemem]

Originally posted by bit-101
basic trig.

lol. being a little modest there I think, bit

just so it's not completely off topic: I studied maths at university but I hated all applied maths, just concentrated on the theoretical (algebra mostly: group theory, lattice theory, rings & fields if anyone is really that interested).

so when it comes to things like mechanics, geometry et al. it's not too easy anymore. (+ I've forgotten most of what I learnt anyway - if you don't use it for a while it just kinda disappears).

- n.

[bit-101]

lol. being a little modest there I think, bit

not really. i did high school algebra and geometry. i think we might have gone into some basic trig there. that was many years ago. i picked up the rest on my own. i really don't know anything very advanced. i just learn one concept and exploit the hell out of it, learn another one, exploit that, then combine them and do all i can with those two, learn another one, etc.
i'd say it's 40% knowing the math, 60% figuring out cool things to do with it that make it look like you know 10x as much as you really do!

[john_bws]

enemem,
that is very interesting. are you from the uk (beceause of your use of "maths")? i spent a summer at oxford with a professor from the us and found it far too advanced for me. i must have been the stupidest person within 100km. i agree, pure mathemtics has always been more intersting to me

[enemem]

Originally posted by john_bws
enemem,
that is very interesting. are you from the uk (beceause of your use of "maths")? i spent a summer at oxford with a professor from the us and found it far too advanced for me. i must have been the stupidest person within 100km. i agree, pure mathemtics has always been more intersting to me

gave myself away - have to be more careful hmmm - guess where I went to university? I have to agree that going from school maths to uni maths was an incredible shock. what used to be relatively easy sometimes became almost impossible - I can really emphasise with people who don't have the knack for maths at school now! also makes you very humble to be surrounded by so many v. intelligent people.

when did you come to oxford? I stayed into the summer once and met some American summer students - would be really funny if we had met there!

(actually - maybe shouldn't discuss this here but we could see how long they let us - just mention 'mathematics' from time to time )

- n.

[john_bws]

MATH . that should buy some time.

i was there during the summer of 1995. i used to live in india, then my advisor moved to connecticut and so did i. then that same professor then took a visit to cambridge to collabrote with a prof. on modular forms and elliptic curves. not too long after taniyama-shimura conjecture had been explored throughly. it was very interesting, although mostly beyond me.

[enemem]

Originally posted by john_bws
on modular forms and elliptic curves. not too long after taniyama-shimura conjecture had been explored throughly. it was very interesting, although mostly beyond me.

I'm glad you said that - because I have no idea what you are talking about I think the summer I stayed longer was 96 - so no luck - sorry

just wondering: are there any physicists around at all?

- n.

[Jamez Brown]

3+7=10 that about all i know!

[sazeMaster]

I HATE MATHEMATIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ed Mack]

Is that all you have to say? Thanks. Is your keyboard broken, because that last sentence was all in caps (you better get it fixed, some people might mistake you as lame). And also, it's very poor english to use that many !'s and use mathematic as a noun. I'm sure everyone would be a lot happier if you contributed somthing slightly more refined to the conversation.

What exactly does calculus cover? I'm guessing the basics pah. My guesses hehe

I also like math a lot, and will most likely will take it further. Which courses are more interesting, and cover ground?

[ahab]

Originally posted by Ed Mack
What exactly does calculus cover? I'm guessing the basics pah. My guesses hehe

Calculus covers quite a bit; it is not as scary as many people would like it to be though. Calculus address two fundamental questions: what is the slope of a curve at a point, and what is the area under a curve. The solution to both these problems make up a small part of calculus ... it is mainly the application to other problems and fields that make calculus so vast.

Originally posted by Ed Mack
I also like math a lot, and will most likely will take it further. Which courses are more interesting, and cover ground?

There are two types of mathematics: pure mathematics, and applied mathematics. Pure mathematics has proven to be the most interesting to me, but is the hardest for people to get into with no experience. It is entirely dependent on rigor and proofs. Subjects of pure mathematics are modern algebra, graph theory, combinatorics, number theory, topology, and other subjects.

Applied mathematics is what most people like to study. I personally do not like studying these subjects because the problems are not as challenging and insightful. Subjects include trigonometry, calculus, differential equations, and more. Don't get me wrong ... most of the applied subjects are absolute necessities before you can understand pure mathematics, but the latter is far more worth your time as a hobby.

My personal favorite subjects: combinatorics, real analysis, and algebra.

Good luck.

[KeyserSoze]

Originally posted by sazeMaster
I HATE MATHEMATIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also not too fond of english.