Page 1 of 1 [ 5 posts ] 

Pugly
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 9 Jan 2005
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,174
Location: Wisconsin

08 Feb 2009, 3:53 am

I have a math degree... I'd I'm thinking I need to get a graduate degree in math. But I'm trying to find a field of Math that would work the best for me.

First a couple of details... I really do like math as a system to play and explore in. I developed a 3-d version of Pascal's Triangle... which I tried to find an algebra to go along with it. This was a dead-end... but I really enjoy that sort of playing around with Math.

I tend to lack rigor when I do math though. I had trouble in some undergraduate courses doing proofs. I tend to forget the details of the previous theorems to use them effectively in doing the complete proof. I did much better with just knowing the general idea and concepts being conveyed then the specifics. I also got mixed up with new notation that was introduced. In particular Number Theory was a big challenge for me.

I think with my learning style, if I focused on one particular area of mathematics I could overcome my problems.

I took one course in combinatorics, and I really enjoyed it. The combinatorial style of proof seemed to fit better with my style of math. But this was just one course....

Or I could look into more applied areas, which I'm kind of ignorant about. My school just had a general math program with not much focus on any applied area.

I'm looking for recommendations of fields of math to get into for graduate school.


_________________
Wonder what it feels like to be in love?
How would you describe it, like a push or shove?
Guess I could pretend that this is all I need
Wanting more than what I have might appear as greed.


ruveyn
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Age: 88
Gender: Male
Posts: 31,502
Location: New Jersey

08 Feb 2009, 11:41 am

Pugly wrote:
I have a math degree... I'd I'm thinking I need to get a graduate degree in math. But I'm trying to find a field of Math that would work the best for me.

First a couple of details... I really do like math as a system to play and explore in. I developed a 3-d version of Pascal's Triangle... which I tried to find an algebra to go along with it. This was a dead-end... but I really enjoy that sort of playing around with Math.

I tend to lack rigor when I do math though. I had trouble in some undergraduate courses doing proofs. I tend to forget the details of the previous theorems to use them effectively in doing the complete proof. I did much better with just knowing the general idea and concepts being conveyed then the specifics. I also got mixed up with new notation that was introduced. In particular Number Theory was a big challenge for me.

I think with my learning style, if I focused on one particular area of mathematics I could overcome my problems.

I took one course in combinatorics, and I really enjoyed it. The combinatorial style of proof seemed to fit better with my style of math. But this was just one course....

Or I could look into more applied areas, which I'm kind of ignorant about. My school just had a general math program with not much focus on any applied area.

I'm looking for recommendations of fields of math to get into for graduate school.


Is your ultimate goal pure maths research or applied maths?

ruveyn



Pugly
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 9 Jan 2005
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,174
Location: Wisconsin

08 Feb 2009, 2:29 pm

I don't know. I'd like to get into research... but I'm thinking my ability with Math is more suited for the applied side of things.

I didn't really get a good sense of the applied math at my university.


_________________
Wonder what it feels like to be in love?
How would you describe it, like a push or shove?
Guess I could pretend that this is all I need
Wanting more than what I have might appear as greed.


DNForrest
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Jan 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,198
Location: Oregon

08 Feb 2009, 5:07 pm

Perhaps statistics or Industrial Engineering? Industrial Engineering's a pretty easy degree to obtain, and from what I've heard from the people I know in that major, it's coming into a higher demand.



mixtapebooty
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Posts: 381
Location: Richmond, Va

09 Feb 2009, 4:34 am

Any computer skills? If you're good with algorithms then head in the direction of Computer Science, Finance, or even BioMathematics. If you are going for Applied, then you'll have to be interested in another area to combine the math with, and that is something that requires more knowledge of your other areas of interest if you want advice about it.

Let us know what you decide!