<p>Some colleges I know offer applied mathematics as a major, while others do not... however I was wondering if taking a science course, or a course that relies heavily on math would achieve a similar effect? Like, I know that also, frequently, applied math majors have to choose a concentration, so I don't know... I'm hoping that if I attend a college that doesn't offer applied mathematics I can still get something similar through courses possibly resembling these concentrations</p>
<p>Good options for applied mathematicians include: physics, economics, computer science, statistics...</p>
<p>You must ask yourself if you like continuous or discrete mathematics better, and how you would like to apply mathematics. Do you like computers?</p>
<p>You could always double major in one of the above and mathematics, taking the courses in mathematics that are most in line with your interests. Also, you could combine any of the above ideas, depending on how much advanced placement you have. I know some people who double major and minor, and double majoring in Computer Science and Physics with a minor in Mathematics will certainly give you a thorough education in all aspects of applied mathematics.</p>
<p>What's continuous versus discrete math? I enjoy calculus, for the most part, and this may sound silly, but it's not just math I like... it's solving things. Like, word searches or puzzles, mazes, etc. It just so happens mathematics has been the most similar thing within school, so I enjoy that and excel as well. </p>
<p>To answer the other question, I know a bit about computers, electronics, more than the average user, for sure... but I can't see myself programming or building components, wiring, etc.</p>
<p>You can consider discrete math as "discontinuous math". For example, analysis courses like calculus and differential equation are "continuous math" because it deals with continuous function. Discrete math include topics like combinatorics, number theory, graph theory, and anything where you can't really draw a graph with a single line (e.g. number theory only deals with integers). It's hard to give exact definitions because they're both broad terms, but I think physics and economics deals more with continuous where as computer science and statistics deals more with discrete math.</p>
<p>Yes, NorthWestLover explained that fairly well.</p>
<p>Wikipedia has length definitions and examples of both continuous and discrete mathematics. If you like calculus, analysis, differential equations... anything to do with the real or complex numbers, really... then you probably like continuous math better (or you haven't been exposed to discrete math).</p>
<p>Continuous math is much more heavily skewed towards the natural sciences and engineering... derivatives, integrals, differential equations, special functions, real analysis, etc. It has most of its applications in things like physics, chemistry, and economics.</p>
<p>Discrete math has to do with logic, puzzles, integers, graphs (not the graphs of functions, but things more like flow charts), combinatorics (counting things: think combinations and permutations), etc. Discrete probability is also a big field... the number one subject which relies on this is CS.</p>
<p>Also, it's troubling that you say you want to be an applied math major and you can't see yourself programming. Do you know what you're getting yourself into? Most applied math is done on computers, in part or in whole.</p>
<p>Well no, I'm not going to be an applied math major, considering the college I plan on attending doesn't offer it. That's why initially I asked what fields provide a similar education, since I love math and want to use it. For example, I am thinking of looking into bioinformatics, genetics, something involving physics; somewhere along those lines. As for the computer science comment, I mean I can and will use computers, but I don't want them to be the core and basis of my major... I don't want to press keys all day.</p>
<p>What schools are you looking at? If I had a bulletin / catalog to look at, I could make much more informed recommendations.</p>
<p>Preliminarily, if you're interested in bioinformatics, you should look into the following majors: biology, chemical engineering, computer science, statistics. If you're more interested in genetics, look into biology.</p>
<p>And it seems like you only have a cursory understanding of CS... there's a lot of theory in CS that doesn't even require physical computers. Computers are a means, not an end... knowing how to do computation is the basis of the CS degree, and knowing how to make a computer do those computations is an important skill to know. CS certainly isn't pressing keys all day... not any more than math is solving equations all day, or chemistry is mixing chemicals all day, etc.</p>
<p>Like I said, show me a bulletin and then we can talk.</p>