God damn math

[Eli]

Real analysis is soul sapping. But still better than my least favorite math class - Probability.

I liked Probability the most. I had a good intuition for all the concepts. Ended up getting a 100 on a much more difficult test than usual.

All the other maths, except Harmonic Analysis, were boring. Calculus had too much pedantry. We studied regular and partial diff equations solving only in "recipe" form. Numerical Analysis was useless and Complex Analysis was just plain weird.

[Ramo]

Analysis sucks llama balls; Complex is the best of the bunch. Topology, Geometry, and Algebra are much more interesting.

[Kuciwalker]

I liked Numerical Analysis.

[Jon Miller]

I liked Complex and Applied and Topology and Real.

Other stuff seemed cool, but I didn't delve into it too much.

JM

[Ramo]

Is that Number Theory? I would classify as Algebra rather than Analysis.

[Kuciwalker]

No, it's computer math.

[civman2000]

A first course in real analysis is much fun. Complex analysis is also quite fun, if it's done right (with an emphasis on its more geometric/topological aspects). General topology is the best of all though .

How can you say analysis "sucks llama balls"?

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by snoopy369
That's interesting, that "Real Analysis" isn't a first year class at your school. The "advanced" mathematicians (maybe 60-80 my year?) went straight to "Honors Analysis" at the U of C, as their first full year course.

IIRC they started with proving that 1+1 = 2, and then moved on to proving that 1 + (-1) = 0. I couldn't understand why it took them so long...

Wouldn't that be more in algebra in most uni?
1+1 is the definition of 2 and 1+x=0 is the definition of -1 in most settings.
They might prove say 0x=0 in a ring or somesuch but I dont think the ones you've mentionned.

[Lul Thyme]

I liked algebra a lot more than analysis.
Group theory was my best "early" class.
In fact it was probably the class that clenched the deal in my mind, in the sense that it's when I knew I was in the right field.

I liked discrete stuff, (I'm working in graph theory, now).
Topology was good.
Didnt like much Linear Algebra though, dunno why.
Diff eqs stuff and num analysis not much either.
Although of course there was fun and less fun stuff in everything, I'm just talking very generally.

Like civman said, I think the first course in real analysis is fun because you get to basically "redo" calculus but with proper foundations.
That's basically what we did anyway.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Lul Thyme


Wouldn't that be more in algebra in most uni?
1+1 is the definition of 2 and 1+x=0 is the definition of -1 in most settings.
They might prove say 0x=0 in a ring or somesuch but I dont think the ones you've mentionned.

I believe they were proving the fundamental underpinnings of 'math' itself. I didn't take the class nor did I understand most of what my friends were saying. I just know what they told me.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Lul Thyme
Wouldn't that be more in algebra in most uni?
1+1 is the definition of 2 and 1+x=0 is the definition of -1 in most settings.
They might prove say 0x=0 in a ring or somesuch but I dont think the ones you've mentionned.

A friend of mine is taking Real Analysis at Stanford right now and that's exactly what he was doing (1+1 = 2 etc.).

[alva]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


?

It took all of 30 seconds to see the answer and about 4 minutes to write it up.

There were no messy or complicated expressions, and everything worked out nicely. Those types of problems are fun...

I'm sure it is for you but seeing as my math level is more like this...

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by alva


I'm sure it is for you but seeing as my math level is more like this...

I have no proof but I'm almost certain most of these are apocryphal.
Specially the last one with limits.

[Eli]

Yeah. I've seen the ones with the limits in also every bathroom stall in uni.