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

Guardsman View Member Profile	Dec 9 2004, 05:27 PM Post #2
Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 178 Joined: 4-February 04 Member No.: 178	Al, I agree with you, but, 1) I'm not in school yet, and I'm not sure when I'd be able to start for sure, and 2) I want to make sure that I have a good understanding of this stuff before I start school. I think that I may be a bit cynical about how much I expect to actually learn in school, after my previous experiences. I expect to learn more before, outside of, and after school, than I expect to learn in the classroom, unless I happen to get lucky and get an exceptional teacher. So, for me, by my thinking right now, engineering school is a very expensive, very time consuming problem that has to be endured if I want my degree. I would rather get a job, and learn on the fly, as I learn very well that way. Unfortunately, nobody hires a wanna-be engineer to be trained and schooled on the job (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) I'm going to dig up some books here, and start working on problems, which I'll post up here. You guys can be my study group (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif) . (That's be doubly good, because then my wife couldn't complain about me spending all of my time on here (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ) John