How much is enough math?

<p>Sometimes I have doubts in the back of my mind that I might not want to be a chemical engineer after I graduate, after seeing all the reactor design stuff (I'm not too fond of picking the right pipes for proper flow rates). </p>

<p>In case I want to switch to a different career that uses math, how much math is enough? I'll be taking a total of 4 terms of calculus, a stats + probability course, a numerical methods course, and other math-intensive courses such as fluid mechanics and heat/mass transfer. I'm not sure if this is enough, and I'm thinking about switching to a math major with an econ or CS minor.</p>

<p>Or does this really not matter? Is an engineering education supposed to just teach you how to think logically and solve practical problems?</p>

<p>at least up to differential equations</p>

<p>multivariate calc</p>

<p>I think what you've learned will be sufficient enough.</p>

<p>My third calculus course is vector calculus, and the last one is differential equations.</p>

<p>Your required math will most likely stop at differential equations and Linear algebra, but you'll probably have the option to take partial diff eq. and complex analysis for electives.</p>

<p>I can only take those courses as extras since they don't count towards my technical electives (due to accreditation issues). </p>

<p>However, I think one of my last two calculus courses will deal with some PDEs since one of the upper year courses requires a PDE background. Although it's not as good as a whole course on PDEs, it's better than nothing. </p>

<p>Now it only leaves real/complex analysis which I'll have to take as extras. How are they useful btw?</p>

<p>complex analysis is SO important. especially when you are dealing with EE, CompE, or anything dealing with technology.</p>

<p>Well, I'm ChemE so I'm not sure if that'll apply to me...</p>

<p>but you said you're not sure you want to be a chem E. </p>

<p>hinman- do you mean real analysis or complex analysis? are they the same thing?</p>

<p>^^ No, real and complex analysis are different.</p>

<p>If I switch out of ChemE, I'll have to waste another year. I don't want to do that, so I want to take a couple of extra math courses (if necessary) to strengthen my mathematical background.</p>

<p>I've heard finance majors tend to take real AND complex analysis, so I'm wondering about that when zer0c123 brought up complex analysis.</p>

<p>I posted this is a similar thread about mathematics for engineers. I'll just copy and paste it here.</p>

<p>Sometimes I wonder if I should just do a BS in applied mathematics then do an MS an mechanical engineering. I'm in my 3rd year in ME. One of my professors has an BS and MS in applied math and a phd in ME. He says in the industry he knows many good engineers, but many lack mathematics. They will always stay at a 2nd rate and not be on top because of their math. He has actually tutored his co workers in mathematics, and they said it changed their lives!? This is why I decided take my engineering electives in math.</p>

<p>In my physics degree, I'll go as high as Intro to Partial Diff EQ and Vector Analysis.</p>

<p>I'll take through linear algebra for EE</p>

<p>i personally think that you should take all the math you can. never stop learning.</p>

<p>After reading all these posts, I think I will take more math courses. Originally, I wanted to focus on biochemistry and bioengineering courses, but whether that will give me a significant advantage in the biotech industry is questionable. However, math courses seem to give me an advantage in a variety of fields.</p>

<p>Truth is, at any level of engineering you will never ever use more than 11th grade math at work.</p>

<p>"Truth is, at any level of engineering you will never ever use more than 11th grade math at work."</p>

<p>NOT true at all. i did research with a research associate and i needed to know differential equations to be able to code the algorithms. all the calculations done in engineering and the sciences have calculus, linear algebra, and so on.</p>

<p>^^ He's saying at a job, not research. Industry work and college research are two different things. But even then, that's not completely true. For a lot of jobs it is, but some of the higher-caliber companies you will need to use the math you learned in college.</p>