[Guardsman]

Hey all,

Another question regarding math, engineering, school, etc.

What kind of math would I be doing in engineering school, and using day-to-day?

I've been trying to figure the whole algebra thing out, and a guy's example for his elementary school-aged son has been the best help so far (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) -

http://www.osteele.com/archives/2004/12/gr...grounded-proofs

The algebra itself is stupidly simple - one problem I'm having is deciphering the intent of the problem.

In any case, I'm seeing that there is a "theoretical math", where guys who apparently have nothing better to do discover that there was some number that we didn't really know about yet (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Then there's the math that normal people actually use to accomplish things.

I'm going to take the College Math CLEP test for the math requirement for my Associates.

That has the "what is the square root of i?", and other similar philosophical math questions, and, as I understand it, a lot of statistics.

So, do I just need to learn enough to pass the CLEP, and then concentrate on the higher math, or is the "square root of i" going to come into play in electronics engineering?

Thanks again guys.

John

[sgarnett]

What kind of math would I be doing in engineering school, and using day-to-day?

Those are two entirely different questions.

Yes, for some jobs you don't spend much time on math. A lot of the hard stuff is done by simulation programs, etc. However, you still have to understand what's going on under the hood.

OTOH, getting through engineering school will be a LOT easier if you have a firm grasp on the math. That means the "theoretical math" too.

Admitedly, you may not need to get as deep if you don't intend to go beyond an Associate degree. I don't know how the courses differ from the first two years of a Bachelor degree. However, I would still advise you to get as solid a grasp as you can on the math.