math (higher)...what is it good for? Absolutely nothing...huh! Say it again. Math!

[Vesayen]

You can learn how to think at higher levels without doing complicated math.... AND you can learn practical things at the same time!

[Lul Thyme]

"Higher math" can be all but complicated.
It is abstract, unifying, and can be seen as a basic example of what you call "thinking at higher levels".
Group theory can be applied to symmetries of polygons, particle of physics, networs of computer...

[TCO]

Originally posted by Lul Thyme
Hum I enjoy many areas of mathematics, but probably mostly finite ones (finite algebras, combinatorics etc...).

I am not sure about the Rolling Stones, I know I use to think I knew almost all math in High School, when now, after years of pure math training, I think I know less and less respectively to what there is to know, and I learn what a huge and impressive building of knowledge mathematicians have constructed over the years.

What is worth learning and what is useful are two completly different questions.

Thirst for knowledge in the human cannot be always be linked to usefullness, in mathematics or otherwise...


If you want to know what "higher" mathematics is useful for...

Cryptography and coding is 100% based on it, computer science at its root, almost all of physics...
It really depends what you consider "higher" mathematics, I have not included basic linear algebra and calculus in the above applications (if you do, you can add all of science, art, and almost all human construction of the minds basically)

I want to stress, that most mathematicians do not really think about applications of their personnal research.
They do it because they like it, and they feel what they are doing is like a brick in the big building.
Now it just happens that the building as a whole underlies basically all scientific research, but mathematicians as individuals do not really spend much time looking for "real world" applications to their research, except maybe at grant time.

what is stochastic calculus and how is it useful in finance?

[TCO]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Yes. It's called statistical mechanics.

But I can guarantee you that to get the relevant results simply involves a lot of footwork. Not completely new methods like those provided by extra branches of mathematics.

The ensembles and such can be new.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Lul Thyme



Whats OR?
finite math, doesnt have a real definition.
But math is often separated into 2 big main areas.
Those that deal with finite objects and those that deal with infinite ...
Its very broad and not precise but something like
in
A :finite abstract algebras (groups, rings etc), finite combinatorial structures (graphs, designs, geometries...)

B: Most of Analysis, Topology, Diff. Geometry (even though most of these can be defined on finite structures, the most interesting ones are often infinite)...

Not that I dont care about Topology and analysis, its just my prime are of research and interest in algebraic graph theory, sort of in between group theory and graph theory....

REAL applications, are mainly in the field of computer science or close I would say...
Although combinatorial structures can be used for so many things, tournament designs, circuit board designs (graph embedings), the list would be very long...

1. Operations Research=OR

2. Go on a little more. What in computer science? and what and how in those otehr things.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Lul Thyme
What do you mean about higher math not being new math to the world?
you mean being old as in being discovered a long time ago?

Yes. I'm differentiating between mathematical research and techniquest that are more sophisticated than what one gets first couple years of uni as an engineer, but are still in the lexicon.

[:) Smiley]

Math is fundamental to everything.

[Ramo]

I actually rannn. itno an interresting applicationo fo complex analysis a couple weeks goo. The ideo is that if you take a line integral around a single singlurar point (where the function goes toinfinitity) of f(z)*(z - z0), where z0's th esingulr point, tyou get xero. So if yo7=u're trying to find a root of a given function, you construct a second function that goes to infinity (say, 1/the first function, for instance), and pick a path that inclues only a single zero, you'll get 0. So you can trivially solve for the root in terms fo the integral around this path of f(z) and z*f(z). Co7urse the keuy is to pick the right path. I scoff at yuour pitifufl Netwont's method. Scoff.

Anyways, this my drunk post for hte knightl.

[KrazyHorse]

Look up Matsubara sums.

They're a really clever application of contour integration.

[Ramo]

That there's a fine name. I'm gonna call my kid Masturba.

[TCO]

Y'all ever hear of Matthew or necktie functions? Sorta like more ornery Bessel functions?

[KrazyHorse]

no. and neither has Google

[Ramo]

No one with a name as crappy as Matthew could've done anyting aimportnt. Not like MAstsubara.

[KrazyHorse]

**** you, you arrogant little *****. I ought to shove my foot all the way up your ass for that one.

There are lots of fine Matthews in the world.

[KrazyHorse]

Like Matthew Einstein and Matthew Newton. Not to mention Matthew P. Feynman.