/sci/ - Science & Math

>>7517787

In physics you'll inevitably be faced with problems that you can't brute force through with the power of logic. Reality is complicated and the mathematics involved can be really esoteric even for some first year classical problems. The math that a first year physics student faces is something that mathematicians see at the master's degree level. This is why physicists have the 'mathematical methods of physics' -courses (at least in my uni). The proofs are largely left for the mathematics' department simply, because otherwise you'd major in math before physics.

You're supposed to get stumped on some problems. An average problem set for me so far has been 6-8 problems, out of which half are basic, 2-3 difficult and possibly one that requires what we refer to as 'the third eye'. This problem might hinge on some mathematical gimmick or approximation. The point is that you'll have to spend a few hours on the problem, discuss with a friend, ask for a hint or all of the above. This way when you finally get it, you're sure to remember it when you are eventually faced with a similar problem.

The third eye gets the sharper the more problems you work through.