/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.2165378]

Need some class advice. I'm planing on taking Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, Intro to Quantum Mechanics, Mathematical Physics 2, and a graduate level Calculus of Variations class next quarter. Is this too much? Or should I exchange the calculus of variations for some general ed requirement class?

[Anonymous No.2165416]

>>2165378

Do creation science instead!

[Anonymous No.2165429]

>>2165416
huh...well thank you for the advice, but I think i'll pass...

[Anonymous No.2165440]

>>2165429

Do it if you're a man. Which you are.

Be alpha as fuck, do the classes! (do the calculus)

[Anonymous No.2165498]

>>2165440
Awesome, thank you very much

Any other opinions?

[Anonymous No.2165505]

if ur smart enough to do that shit a little calculus should be no problem

[Anonymous No.2165538]

>>2165505
That's kind of my question. The nonlinear dynamics and chaos class is a jointly offered undergrad and grad class. So half is grad students, and half is undergrad, and it's kind of a inbetween class. I was in another one of those this quarter, and I'm tearing it apart. The teacher who teaches this class i'm in right now teaches the calculus of variations class, and said its easier than the class I'm in now, but I don't know if that's from a grad students perspective or if it matters

[Anonymous No.2165548]

>>2165538
realized I never put a question in there. I don't know too much about the level of difficulty of calculus of variations, but it sounds like an awesome class and would look good for grad school. Plus get a killer letter of rec from the prof if I 4.0 both of the grad level classes I took from him. But i'm wondering if this will make my quarter too hectic. Idk, just thought I'd see if i could get some ideas

[Anonymous No.2165751]

Im assuming you're undergrad...
You have to ask yourself are you adequately prepared for each of these classes, and are you interested in the material. Did you choose these classes, or did you advisor? If you feel you're adequately prepared to do well in each of the classes individually, and you are interested in the material then you should do well.

[Anonymous No.2165782]

>>2165416

Please tell me this is a shoop.

They cannot be that dumb.

[Anonymous No.2165936]

>>2165751
Yes, I'm an undergrad. The first three are required for my major(s). I'm double majoring in Applied Mathematics and Physics. There's three classes that are jointly offered with grad students, and its treated as the same class. I'm in one of them now, and the nonlinear dynamics and chaos is another one of them. I'm raping the one I'm in now, and the teacher said this one is harder than the calculus of variations class. I'd be taking that one because I'm very interested in the class, it would look good for grad school, and I could get a great letter of rec from the prof having taken him for two grad level classes. I just don't know how hard calculus of variations is

[Anonymous No.2165962]

I think you should also add organic chemistry and abstract algebra (the one for math majors) to the mix, just to spice things up. As it stands now, I think your semester will be way too boring.

[Anonymous No.2165970]

>>2165936
calculus of variations = some stranger comes into your bed at night ties you up and rapes you then kills your dog while leaving

[Anonymous No.2165972]

>>2165962
I have to take a real analysis course before the abstract algebra. I'm taking the real analysis course next quarter and abstract algebra after that

[Anonymous No.2165976]

>>2165972
algebra's actually much easier than analysis (in my opinion, anyway)

[Anonymous No.2165979]

>>2165970
huh...shit. Is said stranger at least some incredibly hot chick, or are you talking 300 pound man beast? Why was it so hard? I keep hearing from people that its pretty easy (not from my school)

[Anonymous No.2165982]

>>2165976
Yea, I agree, but the analysis class is a prerec. I took a class where we learned some intro abstract algebra

[Anonymous No.2165985]

>>2165979
well if you found vector calculus and PDEs easy then it should be easy, but if not prepare to be violated.

[Anonymous No.2166010]

>>2165985
Yea, the one I'm in right now is Vector Calculus and Complex Analysis (completely different topics, I know) and I'm raping that class right now. I took a PDE class in the spring and it was pretty easy as well. Is calculus of variations interesting? I mean is there at least motivation?

[Anonymous No.2166114]

If this is your first graduate level course you might consider taking a gen ed for one of your undergrad courses. I noticed a pretty big gap in difficulty between undergrad and grad courses at least.

[Anonymous No.2166132]

Those are all cool classes. You have good taste, OP.

[Anonymous No.2166138]

>>2166010
Calculus of Variations basically solves optimization problems but also generalizes calculus to work on functionals which are functions of functions. (usually a function has input a vector and returns a vector, a functional has as input a function and returns a vector)

The simplest functional I know is arclength. (takes as input a function(curve) and output is a number (the length of the curve))

The most important idea you'll meet is probably the Euler-Lagrange equation which is basically F=ma but more general.

[Anonymous No.2166170]

>>2166138
Ok right on, that sounds pretty cool. The class description says, "Necessary and sufficient conditions for a weak and strong extremum. Legendre transformation, Hamiltonian systems. Constraints and Lagrange multipliers. Space-time problems with examples from elasticity, electromagnetics, and fluid mechanics. Sturm-Liouville problems. Approximate methods.
I plan to cover core topics in the calculus of variations.
I will discuss the Euler-Lagrange equation, homogeneous problems,
transversality conditions, corner conditions, constraints, the second
variation, the Legendre condition, the Jacobi equation, the Weierstrass
excess function, and the relationship between the calculus of
variations, dynamic programming, and optimal control theory.

We will look at numerous examples from mechanics, optics, and other disciplines.
Examples will include such classic gems as the brachistochrone, minimum surfaces
of revolution (soap films), geodesics, the loaded cantilever, navigation problems,
and rolling pennies."

Sounds pretty awesome. Just worried I won't ever be able to sleep :/

[Anonymous No.2166283]

seems like a pretty cool quarter, just stay on top of everything

[Anonymous No.2166288]

>>2166170
This is some quite fundamental shit every physicist should at least have known once in their career ..

Of course, you'll encounter Euler-Lagrange / Hamilton way more than Sturm-Liouville, but nevertheless, you should've at least heard it once.

[Anonymous No.2166297]

I'm jealous, OP. I wish I could do my undergrad over.