/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.4219772]

Hey, /sci/
I'm an 18 y/o dropout who was somewhat terrible at math, though that doesn't give it justice seeing you cant necessarily be bad at something you don't put time into, anyhow. I'm very interested into starting studying/learning theoretical physics particularly quantum theory etc. I'm very persistent in anything I do and came for suggestions on where to start, I can download online books or any research material with ease. Looking forward to a response!

[Anonymous No.4219783]

>dropout
>bad at math
>want to learn theoretical physics

Nope nope nope. Your a failure. Kill yourself and get the fuck out.

[Anonymous No.4219791]

>>4219772
You are not prepared to learn quantum shit yet. In order to actually learn quantum shit, you need a working knowledge of classical shit, electromengentism, and relativity.

So, Learn Classical Mechanics, EM, and Relativity. After you are fluent in that shit, then can you can try and grasp quantum shit.

You won't be able to do classical shit without a good math knowledge though. So, go learn calculus. That is the first step on your long journey.

Good luck!

[Anonymous No.4219794]

>>4219772
You need to get good at math

\thread

[Anonymous No.4219795]

Yeah, thanks for the post. Im not a dumb person I was passing everything with straight A's I just had personal/family issues that were in the way and I regret ever dropping, especially senior year. But when I say quantum its exactly what you said in being everything leading up to it. Im down for however long/what it takes really.

[Anonymous No.4219796]

Protip: Theoretical physics is not like popular science makes you believe.

[Anonymous No.4219798]

>>4219796
>implying it's not

[Anonymous No.4219800]

>>4219794
Its not that im bad at math, its more or less the fact it takes me a little longer to grasp some of the concepts,

[Anonymous No.4219801]

>>4219796
No. It is much better.

[Anonymous No.4219804]

"persistent in anything I do"

drop out

[Anonymous No.4219805]

>>4219800
Then you are bad. Grasping the concepts is the bare minimum.

[Anonymous No.4219806]

>>4219800
>>4219800
Whatever. JUST GO LEARN FUCKING MATH, now! You are wasting time!

\thread

[Anonymous No.4219808]

>>4219783
>Your

[Anonymous No.4219814]

>>4219808
You've been trolled XD

[Anonymous No.4219816]

>>4219814
>"trolling"
>XD

>>>/b/
>>>/facebook/

[Anonymous No.4219817]

I don't think anybody is naturally bad at math, probably you had awful teachers or a lot of distractions, whats the hardest math concept in highschool education anyway? derivatives/limits?

[Anonymous No.4219818]

>>4219817
>I don't think anybody is naturally bad at math

Have you ever seen a woman?

[Anonymous No.4219827]

>>4219818
no.

[Anonymous No.4219830]

You can do it OP.

You seriously can. Don't wait too late. Start devoting yourself to it every day.

[Anonymous No.4219832]

>>4219830
or learn math.

[Anonymous No.4219842]

>>4219827

[Anonymous No.4219859]

You'll want to start by brushing up on your algebra: learn and understand functions like logarithms, exponentials, rational polynomials, conic sections and how to manipulate them.

I assume that this will be mostly review for you, so when you're done that, get yourself a single variable calculus book, but do not move on from a section until you understand and can reproduce all of the results that are presented. Do the practice problems until you are proficient.

You're now ready to start learning physics. You have two choices here; you can continue doing math or you can pick it up as you go. Most textbooks will review the mathematical results (beyond calculus) that they require, but it won't be nearly as in depth as they should be.

If you're taking the math road, you'll want to learn multi-variable calculus at least up until differential forms, complex variables and integration, a firm grasp of the applications of linear algebra and ordinary and partial differential equations. Anything thereafter is overkill, but you can do some real and complex analysis, chaos theory, differential geometry, probability and statistics theory, higher-level algebra and group theory if you like the way the math is going.
You'll now be doing physics. If you want to do quantum physics at its cutting edge, you'll want to learn the following topics (probably more or less in order).

Classical mechanics (particularly hamiltonian and lagrangian mechanics, but don't ignore rotation)
Special and general relativity (I assume when you say quantum physics, you mean QFT and other higher-level quantum topics, so this is a must)
Electricity and magnetism
Thermodynamics

The rest of physics is basically inseperable from quantum mechanics, you'll know enough now to learn what you want. If you don't get something, you just need to learn what comes before it.

[Anonymous No.4219948]

>"very persistent in everything I do"
>drop our

>terrible at math
>wants to study quantum physics

>wants to study quantum physics
>needs help to "download online books or any research material with ease."
>cannot use google

do you see the pattern?

[Anonymous No.4222415]

>>4219791

Shut up nigger; it's obvious you don't know what you're talking about.

OP, you need to know linear algebra and basic calculus to learn quantum theory, I recommend Dover's Quantum theory by David Bohm since it teaches the subject starting from classical physical concepts and even introduces fourier analysis

[Anonymous No.4222420]

>>4219796

haha, it totally is, only better. You're sooo wrong

[Anonymous No.4222427]

>>4219783

>your face when Faraday's lack of mathematical knowledge only led him to formulate his physical insight into the same field line illustrations used in textbooks today.

I can't wait 'til the whole asshole pseudo-intellectual thing is behind our species

Quantum physics is hard stuff, but OP is capable of grasping it. One of the central purposes of the internet is to spread knowledge and help each other out but you fags aren't internetting very well