Engineers, I need some help w/ math... - F-Body Road Racing and Autocross Forums

Hey guys, I want to go to school for engineering, Electrical or Electronics (both, if they have a program like that).

Anyhow, I have a big problem that currently prevents me from finishing even my Associates (Community College of the Air Force).....I can't do text-book algebra.

I can do applied algebra, I've been doing it since I was a kid. But, put a text book in front of me, with x=axb+c2/d, and I might as well be reading Latin.

One test study guide that I looked at had a question asking what the square root of i is. I can't even begin to understand how I get an answer to that. My line of thinking is that an imaginary number doesn't exist, therefore, it can't have a square root. Nothing = nothing.

I worked at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center until recently, and I looked over some of the papers and machine technical stuff, in how the accelerator works, beam physics, etc.

When I look at that kind of stuff, it makes sense to me....I may not know the exact answer, but if I had all of the necessary information, I could figure out the answer.

I also picked up a book, "Engineering Formulas", by two German guys, and looking through there, the formulas make sense to me.

Has anybody had this kind of problem before, or know somebody that did, or just have any suggestions that might help me out?

I love doing math, but it frustrates the crap out of me that I can't get past this. I tried taking algebra twice in high school, flunked both times, tried it again in 1998, and got a D on that.

I don't want to just pass the classes, I actually want to learn the stuff. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

John

Guardsman View Member Profile	Dec 6 2004, 09:37 PM Post #1
Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 178 Joined: 4-February 04 Member No.: 178	Hey guys, I want to go to school for engineering, Electrical or Electronics (both, if they have a program like that). Anyhow, I have a big problem that currently prevents me from finishing even my Associates (Community College of the Air Force).....I can't do text-book algebra. I can do applied algebra, I've been doing it since I was a kid. But, put a text book in front of me, with x=axb+c2/d, and I might as well be reading Latin. One test study guide that I looked at had a question asking what the square root of i is. I can't even begin to understand how I get an answer to that. My line of thinking is that an imaginary number doesn't exist, therefore, it can't have a square root. Nothing = nothing. I worked at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center until recently, and I looked over some of the papers and machine technical stuff, in how the accelerator works, beam physics, etc. When I look at that kind of stuff, it makes sense to me....I may not know the exact answer, but if I had all of the necessary information, I could figure out the answer. I also picked up a book, "Engineering Formulas", by two German guys, and looking through there, the formulas make sense to me. Has anybody had this kind of problem before, or know somebody that did, or just have any suggestions that might help me out? I love doing math, but it frustrates the crap out of me that I can't get past this. I tried taking algebra twice in high school, flunked both times, tried it again in 1998, and got a D on that. I don't want to just pass the classes, I actually want to learn the stuff. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. John

pknowles View Member Profile	Dec 7 2004, 03:31 AM Post #2
Experienced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 1,427 Joined: 12-February 04 From: Huntingtown, MD Member No.: 193	Think about imaginary numbers and real numbers as different directions on a x-y graph. For instance think about real numbers as going from west to east on the x-axis and imaginary numbers going south to north on the y-axis. Sure they are both directions (x and y) but you can't travel in y no matter how far in x you go if you go purely in x. Imaginary numbers and real numbers are the same way, they are related but are a completely different directions. Apples and Oranges are both fruit, but they are completly different. The only connection between imaginary and real numbers that you need to be concerned with at this stage is: i^2=-1 i^3=-i i^4=1 If you need help you can e-mail me as well.