Astronomy/Astrophysics

[Bearsy]

I'm mad interested in said topics. In fact I'd like to major in one or both of them in University.
However I have a really hard time learning and retaining maths skills.
I have a year 9 maths skill and I'm halfway through getting my Associates Degree.

Should I abandon all hope of becoming the next Carl Sagan?

[[SomeGuy]]

Well, you definetly need maths for that. I'd suggest getting a tutor or finding online courses.

[PhilosopherStoned]

you can pm me. We can get in touch. I'm pretty good with that stuff and at explaining it in new and novel ways that might stick. I'm in raleigh though....

"Have no fear for your difficulties in mathematics for I can assure that mine are greater still"

-Albert Einstein

[Xei]

Skill in mathematics comes entirely from doing shitloads of practise, not innate ability.

Pick up a bulky enough textbook somwhere which covers the fundamentals of algebra, and also things like trigonometry and calculus.

[Carôusoul]

Skill in mathematics comes entirely from doing shitloads of practise, not innate ability.

Pick up a bulky enough textbook somwhere which covers the fundamentals of algebra, and also things like trigonometry and calculus.

I think there is an element of natural ability to mathematical skill though.

[[SomeGuy]]

Here:

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm

[Bearsy]

I think there is an element of natural ability to mathematical skill though.

Yeah I just don't have a head for numbers

[PhilosopherStoned]

a lot of math really isn't about numbers. They let, and encourage you, to use a calculator once you get to calc 1. It's about understanding ideas and you seem to be pretty good at that. I'll back up Xei though, you gotta put in the hours doing problems. If you're not willing to do that, then yes, I would abandon all hope. That's not to say that you couldn't study, say biology, and still be a brilliant orator for the cause of rational understanding of our universe. That was Carl Sagans greatest contribution to humanity anyway.

[Bearsy]

Thanks, yeah... I understand the concepts but can't put them into practice.

I just started going through the site and I know a good bit of the stuff in the lessons... is there like an aptitude test to see where I need to start off at?

[PhilosopherStoned]

I looked at the site and couldn't find one...

I would start at the beginning. If you are dead sure you could solve every problem in a section, I'd solve a few anyway. Once you start getting them wrong then buckle down and solve all the problems in that section. Like I said, feel free to pm me for help. I love math.

[Xei]

Solve as many as you can of these. Should give us a clue how good your algebra is:

2x - 5 = 0

1/x = 1 + 2/x

x^2 + 3 = -4x

6/(x^2 +5x) = -1

x^3 - x^2 -4x + 4 = 0

x^4 + x^2 - 6 = 0

[Bearsy]

With or without a calculator?

My teachers used to make us use them all the time.

[[SomeGuy]]

With or without a calculator?

My teachers used to make us use them all the time.
Same here. Although, she let us use them for tests, so I don't mind.

[Bearsy]

Aye, it kinda sucks though. Because I know I relied on them far too much.

[[SomeGuy]]

Same here. I can barely do any multiplication in my head because of it.

[Xei]

Without. Using a calculator would be completely pointless here... plus you'd need a calculator capable of solving equations anyway which I doubt you have.

All the answers are very simple, and indeed all but the first are whole numbers less than ten.

I tried to make them simple but interesting.

[[SomeGuy]]

As I've seen. Let's start up the Equations thread again, shall we? I want some fun.

[Xei]

Have we given up then?

Like I said, the only thing which gets you good at maths is doing maths. If you don't have the determination, it's not going to happen.

[Bearsy]

Actually I forgot about it, lol.

I'm busy but I'll have them done by tonight

[Xei]

Sweet...

If you get basic algebra sorted and maybe the very basics of calculus you might be able to take a look at some STEP I papers, which are really quite enjoyable puzzles.

Take a gander at some of these:

http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/step/Test+Preparation

I've gotta answer 3 or 4 questions on papers II and III to get into Cambridge (I sit the exam next week :( ). But outside of exams they're actually really interesting and the stretch will be extremely good for you once if you learn the sufficient groundwork, which there's really not much of... the main thing is a good feel for algebra and some intuitive thought.

[grasshoppa]

Damn, I haven't done math in so long...Doing these questions were actually a bit of fun, and rewarding when I finally got the answer...Although there were 2 that I had to visit wolfram for...

[Ne-yo]

I wish Switch was here, this stuff is right up her alley. She attends M.I.T. with studies in Astrophyiscs and is awesome with mathematics. She has a very simplified and easy way of explaining it all. You probably should send her a PM.

[Bearsy]

Didn't she quit DV or something?



Ok, I'm free and am about to start the maths.

:(

Probably gonna get one right.



------------------

Edit: I just woke back up after falling asleep at my desk...

I got...

x = 2.5 for #1
and
x = .5 for #2

I'm so tired that I'm cross eyed right now, so I'll do them(and show my work) on the morrow.

[Xei]

Tip to start with: decimal expansions are really only used in the sciences, as approximations to measurements.

In pure mathematics such as algebra, stick to using rational numbers.

Rational numbers are basically fractions; numbers of the form p/q when p and q are integers with no common factors.

So, for #1, 5/2 is the pure form of the answer (you got it right though, 5/2 = 2.5).

#2 is off I'm afraid... try putting your number back in and checking if it's actually equal.

[Ne-yo]

Didn't she quit DV or something?

She's taking time away but she stated she will check her inbox periodically.:)