Math you actually use on the job
Math you actually use on the job
(OP)
I wanted to know what math classes are regularly used in your particular job and field. So if you were say for instance a pilot/aerospace engineer and you plot vectors, indicate that. What Classes in college were particularly helpful? which ones do you wish you payed more attention to or spent more time in because of its heavy use in your job. Please don't provide blanket responses such as well i use all of it on a regular basis, because i know that's crap.





RE: Math you actually use on the job
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Math you actually use on the job
Geometry, also from high school, comes in second, because I use a lot of geometric constructs in CAD.
Trigonometry, also from high school, is often useful when doing measurement and ad hoc design in the field.
I have used a litle calculus from time to time, but not often.
I used Newton's Method a lot, after electronic calculators became available, until Excel learned how to do it.
Engineering math goes way beyond vectors, not because you'll use esoteric stuff much, but so you'll be able to recognize when you need to crack open one of your old textbooks, and so you'll remember which one you need to find.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Math you actually use on the job
Unless you are working on writing your own simulation codes, that's pretty much it, I think. There are tools for most math problems that engineers come across, like Mathcad, Matlab, Mathematica, etc.
TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
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RE: Math you actually use on the job
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Math you actually use on the job
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: Math you actually use on the job
what field are you interested in ? structures, composite structures, avionics, CFD, ...
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?
RE: Math you actually use on the job
RE: Math you actually use on the job
I'd suggest doing the best you can on any class you take.
Where I'd worry more about what I eventually want to do is in what classes/subjects I actually pick.
There have been times when I've come across problems that I know I used to be able to do the math for and can't now remember how - it's annoying. Sometimes I'll re-learn the math but often don't have time so have to turn to a colleague for assistance which doesn't necessarily look too good for me. I've also seen people that can do the math quickly be able to short cut a design process etc. and admire them for it.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Math you actually use on the job
That's a erroneous viewpoint, in my opinion. The objective is NOT to learn ONLY what you can apply to your chosen major. Otherwise, we would still using the apprenticeship method for training engineers. What if your career or your interests change; will you then go back to school all over again? Because reality is that you will likely change your specifc job over your career, either voluntarily or otherwise. It behooves you, then, to acquire at least some familiarity with most types of math that might come your way. You can do a search on this site for topics that talk about what people are currently doing, relative to what they went to school for, and you'll find a variety of answers. I do almost nothing that's related to my major, but I have sufficient math background to deal with whatever comes down the pike.
TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
homework forum: //www.engineering.com/AskForum/aff/32.aspx
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Math you actually use on the job
preferably all of them, 'cause you never know what you're going to need,
but practically as many as you can, 'cause we've got finite resources.
remember too that many jobs have stringent entrance criteria just as a way to reduce the number of candidates.
I'd expect that your goal would likely require (but probably not need) a PhD (since Masters are practically required for any job these days).
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?
RE: Math you actually use on the job
Another point; something may come along that interests you, and DOESN'T EXIST NOW.
I spent ten great years hacking microcontrollers and microprocessors, neither of which were even a dream when I graduated from college. The only background I got from college was writing FORTRAN, the Elbonian way, because the college had exactly one computer for student use, and the grad students maintained a months-long queue of decks intended to compute PI to many decimal places and other such useful exercises. A decade later, I got access to a time-share, and a decade after that, my own computer, built from 'spare' parts.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Math you actually use on the job
Mostly I liked the math because it gives a framework for understanding how things function and a basis then to select tools to do the heavy lifting. With no idea what an FFT does, it's harder to understand why it would be useful.
It also taught me a good lesson in being disciplined. When I got to triple integrations I was having all sorts of trouble. I would do the problem multiple times and get different answers each time. A friend had mentioned his frat had people who could help so I went there and asked. There wasn't a person available, but they said they had notes and let me look at those. While the notes had nothing to do with the homework at hand, I saw at a glance that it was laid out neatly, unlike my own attempts, where I would perform steps in my head and only write down what I thought were critical ones.
I don't know if that's true for others or if math is the class where they learned it, but making a clear and traceable path through a problem solution is the best lesson math taught me.
RE: Math you actually use on the job
From the standpoint of an engineer in aerospace structures, what's given in that book is about the extent of what the typical employee would ever need.
Look an introductions to matrix method of structural analysis. For this it is a good idea to take linear algebra. Tools like MathCAD can do your heavy lifting but you still need to know what determinants are, etc.
Certain methods of beam theory need a practical understanding of basic calculus. For example the singularity function method - although there are special integration rules there.
Keep em' Flying
//Fight Corrosion!
RE: Math you actually use on the job
Second point: you'll never win the argument if you try to convince your instructors that the math they are teaching you is pointless. Because they know there is some engineer somewhere out there, that does use it. You just have to pass the class, wipe the sweat from your brow, and then get on with your career.
STF
RE: Math you actually use on the job
If advanced math classes are made available to you as part of your tuition at E-R, why not take full advantage of them? Push yourself to learn as much as possible in school, rather than doing the minimum effort to get by. Adopting this mindset will serve you well during your professional career.
RE: Math you actually use on the job
RE: Math you actually use on the job
I have been re-reading my old college textbooks on differential equations lately so that I can re-read my vibrations stuff. It still matters.
--
JHG
RE: Math you actually use on the job
That's a handy website. Thanks for the link!
STF
RE: Math you actually use on the job
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA