I love integration and integration techniques, what should I major in?

I’m a second year engineering student taking calc 2 and I love integration techniques. I could literally sit around and solve integrals all day lol. I feel like math is the only subject I enjoy studying. I like physics but I hate studying it. And I like my engineering classes but I hate studying for the tests and stuff like that. I do like when someone gives me an engineering type problem that I know how to solve, but for some reason I just hate doing it as practice and for tests.

This has me confused about what I should major in…

Well you could major in math. I personally find physics very interesting, especially calc based physics. I hated calc 2 so I can’t say, depending on what engineering you’re taking integration will be less useful in some of them, such as systems and civil, but if you’re taking electrical (which I’d guess since you’re talking about physics) you’ll still use it a lot. Something popular at my school is for engineering/science majors to get a minor in math, at least in my school options for this include calc 3 or 4, advanced calculus, and other calc based electives. Plus math and engineering/science go hand in hand.

If you major in math, or just take real analysis, you get to learn calculus from its theoretical foundations.

Engineering really focuses on turning real life problems into a mathematical model, which likely will be solved numerically. Math majors likely are more focused on the part of the problem that occurs after you reduce the problem to a math problem. From one view, it’s sort of the difference between a complicated word problem with easy math solution and a complicated math problem.

I am a big confused by why you hate studying some things … what specifically do you hate about say studying for physics ? The concepts, the problems ? Are the engineering classes too easy or too hard (they can be either pretty easily)?

I am not aware of any major that would solve Calc 2 integrals all day. I could give you some problems out of my graduate engineering math book that would send you running away screaming. Are you attracted to the idea of finding a way to solve a set of problems ?

Anyway, figure out what you enjoy or don’t enjoy about these classes, some self-knowledge is very useful in making a decision about major. Engineering will be veering away from math pretty quickly, with more emphasis on real problems and … well, cookbook solutions to something like fluid flow.

Applied math, statistics, there may be other fields you should consider.

Well,… hmm,
If you like integration and integration techniques, then I can wildly guess you like the more computational (applied) math (which btw is fun since it’s so like, ahh~~).
As surprising as this sounds, I do not recommend a pure math major since contrary to what engineers think, math majors do not do “integration and integration techniques”. <they do=“” proofs=“” and=“” if=“” you=“” have=“” no=“” idea=“” what=“” i=“” mean,=“” say=“” that=“” pretty=“” much=“” life=“” after=“” calculus,=“” each=“” question=“” looks=“” like=“” http:=“” www.math.utah.edu=“” ~pa=“” math=“” q2-a1.png=“”>


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That said, proofs are like the BEST thing in the world. I don't understand why not everyone takes at least an intro class in it :/

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The major that most utilizes Calculus in a computational approach is unfortunately/fortunately engineering. Now seeing that you like physics but don’t necessarily enjoy physics and engineering for practice, I’m going to presume that you like computational side but not too applied.
Sadly, this pretty much leaves only certain fields like applied math and engineering. And considering applied math is pretty much engineering (and you are getting an engineering degree), I think you are better just staying with engineering for the rest of 2 years.

That said, ask the math department adviser or your adviser or engineering adviser for more help. I’m sure it will be more helpful than the responses here in which most people here are either:

  1. A bit outdated with the college system
  2. High school students acting like college students
  3. People like me who have no idea what you are feeling cause hey, that’s completely normal in the web!

“Plus math and engineering/science go hand in hand.”
Applied* math and engineering/science go hand in hand. I wouldn’t necessarily assume that higher pure math really goes with your engineering/science as proofs are way too abstract for life itself :3

“Math majors likely are more focused on the part of the problem that occurs after you reduce the problem to a math problem”
Math majors are more interested in the higher truth of the makings of the mathematical beauty. (well, at least the pure math majors)
The math majors I think you are referring to are applied math majors like from the branch of Diff Eq.

“I am a big confused by why you hate studying some things … what specifically do you hate about say studying for physics ? The concepts, the problems ? Are the engineering classes too easy or too hard (they can be either pretty easily)?”
I like physics. I hate studying physics or anything too applied in real world like engineering (I love knowing them and their existence and all but studying such a tainted field? pssh, no way!)


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I wasn't bad at it per se. Actually, the physics department thought I was majoring in physics BUT guess what, I just didn't have that 'euphoria' you have from learning higher truth from mathematics. In fact, I think very few can reproduce that feeling. The only feeling that ever rivaled it was seeing the Grand Canyon and appreciating its beauty which was still nowhere near the feeling of grasping the austere cold beauty of mathematics ;) For me (idk about op but hey, it could be an option!), I loved math. And the more useless math was, the better. In fact, if math was too applied like physics or engineering, heck no, that just ruins the intrinsic beauty of mathematics itself. And the major that least taints it while being applied and not being too "proof-ical" for me was Computer Science. Maybe op could consider Computer Science. Computer Science is not the study of programming but rather in theoretical, pretty much the least applied an applied math major could be ;)

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Surprising to most people, there are just some people who don’t really enjoy things “applied” too much. We live in a society in which motivators keep repeating “we all yearn to intrinsically help others”. Well truth is, not really. Some people though they like the idea of helping others really don’t care about studying in a field that applies their theoretical learnings to help others.
And such fields usually belong in either the true pure sciences or the lesser applied sciences like CS, Applied Math, Statistics, Engineering.

btw, try discrete math and an intro programming class. If you love it, just go for Comp Sci. If you really don’t like physics but like more of math, CS is usually the way to go since it’s very mathematical. However, do note this field pretty much has no “integration” like every other field.

In fact, life after computational Calculus in math is pretty… different
and I really can’t think of a major that abuses Calculus that much except actuarial exams which I heard wasn’t the greatest joy of earth

Take a proof-based math class (probably discrete math) and see if you like it.

Computational mathematics, numerical analysis, real analysis, differential equations, and applied mathematics oriented towards physics and engineering may be for you. These are all specialties in mathematics / applied mathematics that involve lots of integrations.

If you really want to integrate stuff, specialize in differential equations.