Quick maths help anyone

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Nah we're all soft these days and just plug numbers into the computer and it spits out answers

Chilling...bet you still must be good at it though! So what kind of engineering do you do?

I always thought a civil engineer would be a pretty awesome job, though in a very structurally developed country such as this, doubt there's many job vacancies flying around.

[timwilky]

after spending the last 25 years working with theoretical engineers (project types), I am now enjoying working with practising engineers, even though the disciplines include CFD, N&V etc and all very computer intensive, you still need to know the base theory and the maths behind it.

Years ago I was developing specific FE applications, it was an algebra and calculus nightmare and I did additional maths as an option at uni.

But can somebody please tell me a real world application for vector mathematics. (Beyond possibly 3d cad)?

Originally Posted by thulfi

For absolutely loads of things!!

Doctors use it for calculating dose ratios for given weights, and various other more complex things.

Pilots for navigation, engineers in designing and constructing things...physicists/space..

Analysing the market and coming up with figures.

Algebra is sooo important for many people and professions...though it may seem pointless and irrelevant at school!

+1, I didn't think algebra was important at school, but it was because we were never shown its application in anyting other than trigonometry (we measured the heights of the school buildings, it was fun!). When I started doing chemistry at uni, particularly physical chemistry, I understood the importance of algebra and I really enjoy it. calculus is also good fun!

I'm currently running a maths class, I have a whole sheet of questions here should anyone want some problems to do for a bit of fun They are intended for first-year students, its just rearanging equations, and some simultaneous equations aswell

I had to teach myself a great deal of maths (well, i worked slowly and steadily through a book in my own time) and its not so hard once you recognise the rules. Its often easier to go through each and every step you do if you are unsure, so if you get the wrong answer you can go back and see where it all went wrong. There's no right or wrong method though, so I encourage people to continue using their own method and not adopt someone elses if they don't quite understand what happened.

Slow and steady wins the (algebra) race!

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by thulfi

Chilling...bet you still must be good at it though! So what kind of engineering do you do?

I always thought a civil engineer would be a pretty awesome job, though in a very structurally developed country such as this, doubt there's many job vacancies flying around.

Nah I'm joking, despite us having FEA computer software we're still studying the theory behind it, and how to get the same answers as the computer "longhand" as it were.
Though unlike tim wilky, we get to use a calculator

Civil engineering, pah


We also did all the fluid mechanics the longhand way, bernoulli and navier-stokes equations. Fun and games.

Originally Posted by Spiderman

I'm sure you'll be fine if its music related....

Well Filters asside ....

[timwilky]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Though unlike tim wilky, we get to use a calculator

Civil engineering, pah


We also did all the fluid mechanics the longhand way, bernoulli and navier-stokes equations. Fun and games.

Cheeky sod, I am not quite that old. But I was also taught to use a guessing stick and still own a set of log tables.

[punyXpress]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Nah we're all soft these days and just plug numbers into the computer and it spits out numbers

Thought so !

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Nah I'm joking, despite us having FEA computer software we're still studying the theory behind it, and how to get the same answers as the computer "longhand" as it were.
Though unlike tim wilky, we get to use a calculator

Civil engineering, pah


We also did all the fluid mechanics the longhand way, bernoulli and navier-stokes equations. Fun and games.

man thats fun! A degree that requires problem solving as oppose to simply memory committing..time must fly when you were studying or at work!

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Civil engineering, pah

Until very recently, the Yellow Pages had this as an entry:

____________________________________
Boring:

See Civil Engineers
____________________________________

'nuff said

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by thulfi

man thats fun! A degree that requires problem solving as oppose to simply memory committing..time must fly when you were studying or at work!

Still doing the degree and it's anything but fun. Interesting though.