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/sci/ - Science & Math

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6163058 No.6163058 [Reply] [Original]

How do I know if I'm fit for and would enjoy pure mathematics? I need to choose whether to go into Engineering or pure math, and I don't know which one I'd like better.

Now, I was decently good at both, straight A's in Calculus, yadda yadda, but I know that's not any indicator of preference or even natural skill in pure math. I would like some sort of introduction to it, to know if I'd like it, and whether I would be any good at it.

If there's any confusion, ask away, but I doubt I'm the only one who's wondering this.

>> No.6163062

>>6163058
>enjoy pure mathematics

If you have to ask about it, I think the chances are probably not, but what the fuck do I know, im not you.

Can you not take some classes and then pic or something? I can tell you that youll be doing a lot less calculus than school or engineering

>> No.6163083

I went into electrical engineering BECAUSE I am bad at math. The only math here is plug and chug drill babby math, you don't have to proof jack shit.
So if you are good at math go with math.

>> No.6163081

>>6163062
>I can tell you that youll be doing a lot less calculus than school or engineering
>a lot less calculus than school or engineering
>less calculus than school or engineering
What?

>> No.6163089

bump

>> No.6163100

you need to do a blood test to see if you are among the scientific masterrace, this is how it is done today, sorry

>> No.6163109

>>6163058
Pure mathematician here. Follow what interests you. I don't really understand how your choice can be pure math or engineering. What about applied math?! Can you give a tiny bit more information - what level are you and what experience do you have?

>> No.6163114

>>6163109
Fresh out of HS, pretty good grades.

Of course I can choose anything, but those are the main two things I'm interested in. I guess I could go with Physics, but I'd rather do pure math.

Pure math might interest me. I don't know. I've had very little contact with it, but I did enjoy math in school. So basically, I enjoyed math in school, but I know that's not indicative of whether or not I'd like pure math, so how would I know? In most cases I'd just try it, but considering it's a pretty big and expensive decision to switch half-way through college.

>> No.6163121

>>6163114
Read through a bit of Rudin's Principles of mathematical analysis and try to solve some problems. If you enjoy it, chances are you should choose math.

>> No.6163125

>>6163114
well I don't know any uni course that forces you to stick to pure maths from the beginning. Normally if you choose maths you will do a generic first year courses and then specialise later. If you don't enjoy the pure in the first year you won't enjoy it later. If you don't you can do fluids, mechanics etc. and can end up pretty well placed to do work in industry. You could also do a masters in engineering and convert out. That's one option - try maths, become applied mathematician if you don't like pure. This (applied math) is also one of the highest earning degrees.

You could also try asking yourself what interests you. Do you get a buzz from solving a complex problem using logic? Do you want to get your hands dirty and solder shit? Would you like to build a machine or would you rather understanding a fundamental theory?


Just reading over your answer, do you mean pure math as in "pure mathematics" or just a degree that is in maths and not something else, because "pure mathematics" has a specific meaning.

>> No.6163129

>>6163081
Whats wrong with this? engineers and physicists spend alot of their life in calculus

pure maths invovles a huge number of other topics

>> No.6163130

>>6163125
> Do you get a buzz from solving a complex problem using logic?
Yes.

>do you mean pure math as in "pure mathematics" or just a degree that is in maths and not something else, because "pure mathematics" has a specific meaning.
I mean pure as in the actual definition of it. Not just "has math and nothing else in it".

>> No.6163144

>>6163129
He didn't understand you because you were unclear >>6163081
I think what he meant to say was that in pure maths, you would be doing less calculus than you did at school (duh) and what you would do in engineering

>> No.6163159

>>6163130
>>6163125

>solving substantial problems using FO-logic

While I appreciate and understand the complexity of logical expansion, I don't always feel like being there all goddamn day for something I'm probably not going to be compensated for.

>> No.6163161

>>6163129

I switched from biochem-> engineering-> math

The amount of math out there, that I had little idea of before, is truly overwhelming. Makes me want to throw up at times. I want to know it all.

>> No.6163216

>>6163130
> Do you get a buzz from solving a complex problem using logic?
>Yes.

Well then I would say go for maths. I would suggest reading Terence Tao's career advice section of his blog, it is very good (and also Terry Tao is a god-level and you should be following him anyway). Especially pay attention to his advice on rigour and post-rigourous maths. You have a lot of great stuff ahead, enjoy it. My advice though is to read around a bit and go in with some ideas in mind. When I started my undergrad I knew I wanted to see:
1) a statement of the Riemann hypothesis in situ (i.e. knowing what it meant, why it was interesting etc.)
2) the proof that the quintic is unsolvable
3) a proof of the Hairy-Ball theorem.

It's not that those are the most important or incredible facts, but having those in mind made me choose my courses and ended up giving me a great view of pure maths. so find stuff that interests you and learn what you need to understand it. If at any point you change your mind, pure math is incredibly flexible and you can convert out into hundreds of well paid and interesting fields/industries

>> No.6163221

>>6163083
I can be an engineer if I'm bad at math? Good to know.

>> No.6163220

>>6163159
> I'm probably not going to be compensated for.
If you have to ask, you'll never know.

>> No.6163229
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6163229

>>6163058
If you are still in university, you will never be fit for pure mathematics.
>yfw

>> No.6163548

>>6163216
So how do I make that transition from "intuitive and fuzzy" to "formal" as non-traumatic as possible?

I'm a very, very, informal guy when it comes to mathematics, but I do tend to have a very good intuition. I can often do problems based on "feeling". I have worked, although extremely briefly, with proofs, and I actually enjoyed it somewhat. That was, however, me using my intuition to grasp the concepts/question/idea and then putting that into a neat proof. Of course it was difficult, since I had never done it before, but also, as I mentioned, fun.