 |
|
Edan
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by TCO
Makes me think about higher math. What is higher math? What uses does it have? |
Off the top of my head, It's generally useful for physics, computer science/algorithms, cryptography, astronomy, etc.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Lul Thyme
|
|
Quebec, Canada
Aug 2000
time: 05:34
|
|
Its weird.
Two pages of a math thread, which are usually the most inspiring for me.
But I find nothing to say....
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Lul Thyme
|
|
Quebec, Canada
Aug 2000
time: 05:34
|
|
Hum I enjoy many areas of mathematics, but probably mostly finite ones (finite algebras, combinatorics etc...).
I am not sure about the Rolling Stones, I know I use to think I knew almost all math in High School, when now, after years of pure math training, I think I know less and less respectively to what there is to know, and I learn what a huge and impressive building of knowledge mathematicians have constructed over the years.
What is worth learning and what is useful are two completly different questions.
Thirst for knowledge in the human cannot be always be linked to usefullness, in mathematics or otherwise...
If you want to know what "higher" mathematics is useful for...
Cryptography and coding is 100% based on it, computer science at its root, almost all of physics...
It really depends what you consider "higher" mathematics, I have not included basic linear algebra and calculus in the above applications (if you do, you can add all of science, art, and almost all human construction of the minds basically)
I want to stress, that most mathematicians do not really think about applications of their personnal research.
They do it because they like it, and they feel what they are doing is like a brick in the big building.
Now it just happens that the building as a whole underlies basically all scientific research, but mathematicians as individuals do not really spend much time looking for "real world" applications to their research, except maybe at grant time.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Lul Thyme
|
|
Quebec, Canada
Aug 2000
time: 05:34
|
|
DP
|
|
| |
|
|
|
shawnmmcc
|
|
Practical applications of higher math - Calculus 3 was my first grade non-A in college. I know my limitations.
1) Modern Composties and their use in aviation - without higher math much of the modeling that permits their use, and the failure parameters involved, simply would not be possible. Composites are critical to today's modern aircraft.
2) F16 and post aircraft are dynamically unstable - again higher maths required to write the control routines, or at least develop them, in a useful way that let's you fly combat maneuvers.
3) Modern shaped charged explosives. The vastly increased lethality of shaped charges is directly attributalbe to higher math, and computers to run them on.
4) Protein folding - we are only beginning to understand it. Where higher math, programming, and supercomputing meet with a vengeance. If you don't think protein folding is important - Alzheimers is essentially a disease of protein folding. Nuff said.
5) Modern reactors. The Japanes have some nice breeder reactors. Successfully arranging the core for optimal yields of fissionables requires - you guessed it - higher maths.
6) Small light thermonuclear warheads. Higher math. Period. Can anybody say MIRV?
7) Modern urban traffic control. Some groundbreaking work is being done in that area, with some fascinating theoretical work leading the way. The predictive tools are - bingo, higher math.
Mathematics is one way to describe the universe, and as you deal with increasingly complex systems, math is the only way to describe it. You can do science without math - but the cutting edge today often has it as a prerequisite.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
TCO
|
 |
Richmond, VA
Jan 1970
time: 00:34
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Lul Thyme
Hum I enjoy many areas of mathematics, but probably mostly finite ones (finite algebras, combinatorics etc...).
I am not sure about the Rolling Stones, I know I use to think I knew almost all math in High School, when now, after years of pure math training, I think I know less and less respectively to what there is to know, and I learn what a huge and impressive building of knowledge mathematicians have constructed over the years.
What is worth learning and what is useful are two completly different questions.
Thirst for knowledge in the human cannot be always be linked to usefullness, in mathematics or otherwise...
If you want to know what "higher" mathematics is useful for...
Cryptography and coding is 100% based on it, computer science at its root, almost all of physics...
It really depends what you consider "higher" mathematics, I have not included basic linear algebra and calculus in the above applications (if you do, you can add all of science, art, and almost all human construction of the minds basically)
I want to stress, that most mathematicians do not really think about applications of their personnal research.
They do it because they like it, and they feel what they are doing is like a brick in the big building.
Now it just happens that the building as a whole underlies basically all scientific research, but mathematicians as individuals do not really spend much time looking for "real world" applications to their research, except maybe at grant time. |
1. Yes, I know that math can be enjoyable to learn regardless of application. Also that people who work in it often do so regardless of it's benefits. However, it DOES have benefits. And even if you pursue it for pure reasons, the benefits are interesting to me. (And society in general). Think of it as a tangential benefit.
2. Agreed math up to diffeq's is not included in what I mean by high math. Really what I mean is "math that I haven't had".
3. I guess, there is a little more to say math is useful than to talk about it underlying a science like crystalography. That is a form of use. But I differentiate that from the very common "tool in a toolbox" use of calculus or algebra.
|
|
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:34.
Apolyton Time is 00:34. |
top of page
|
|
|
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2005 08:22
.
|