I think differential equations is really the threshold for identifying smart people. I recognize that there are whole other more advanced levels.
I think differential equations is really the threshold for identifying smart people. I recognize that there are whole other more advanced levels.
ThickThighs wrote:
I think differential equations is really the threshold for identifying smart people. I recognize that there are whole other more advanced levels.
Undergraduate ODE is mostly recipes for solving a small class of differential equations. The threshold is when you start to prove things.
What’s purple and commutes? Abelian grapes
If a person can use calculus to solve problems in the real world, that means s/he is smart.
Mathwiz wrote:
What’s purple and commutes? Abelian grapes
I was at a party the other night. A party of functions! All the functions are there, e^x, x^2, and some of the cool old school functions like abs(x). Anyway, poor e(x) is all alone in a corner, all morose. Its good friend 2^x comes over and says "What's the problem? Come on, integrate yourself into the party!". e^x replies, "why? It's not going to make a difference!"
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college algebra/precal/linear algebra -- most people with either business jobs or handling personal purchases/financing need to know that. what is my ETA someplace. how many of x, y, and z can i buy with the $100 i took to the grocery. how much does this work out with interest. you amazingly have HS educated folks saying they don't need algebra but they do need personal finance classes. SMH. if you know one and find the formulas you know the other. if you slept through algebra you're like how do i do interest. i wish i had a different class in that, which i could also sleep through and not remember.
calculus is useful to all manner of curve/exponential stuff. rates of change and such. physics, economics, computers, epidemiology, biology, etc.
i would say we require calculus usually because the degrees that need knowledge of calculus are what many colleges define and separate themselves from the rest of the world by. that and it does require a bit of snap and i think they want a little bit of an IQ test between you and the sheepskin. some of college is liberal education, some is field learning, but some of the exercise is you are smarter than any old HS graduate who slept through class.
hjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj wrote:
I'd say more disciplined than smart. There are a lot more fun things to do than math for most people these days. It takes discipline to choose to sit and do math problems with a pencil and paper when you have a phone and TV with youtube, tiktok, IG and all that distraction. But for most who are willing and able to make that choice, they can do it.
I don't think it is really about "hard work" in most cases.
For lots of people, even dedicated ones, it just doesn't "make sense" at all. It is too abstract.
It is like this for me with music. I know I could memorize the notes and keys on the piano, but the sounds + notes + the rhythm equal something that just doesn't click for me. I can't. I am not musical. It has nothing to do with effort, since I could read about music (for hours). I just can't make playing music click.
I think that is the same with math for some people or philosophy/languages for other people. Not everything "clicks."
p.s. I think the majority of people who can do calculus are smart, yes. Though it doesn't guarantee you are smart.
I also I don't think not being able to do calculus means you are automatically stupid. Just like not playing an instrument (hopefully) doesn't mean you are automatically dumb either. :)
I can do calculus so no that does not mean they are smart.
It depends. When you say you can do calculus, does that mean basic single variable derivatives or partial differential equations?