<p>I'm a sophomore mechanical engineer and am picking classes for next semester. With that being said, most of my classmates are taking linear algebra next semester. I don't really want to take it, but if it will greatly benefit me in my future mechanical engineering classes, then I will. I was wondering if anyone knows if linear algebra is useful for future courses. And currently I'm taking differential equations (I've heard that linear algebra is much easier once you've taken diffeq) Thanks!</p>
<p>Linear Algebra is much easier after you’ve taken Diff Eq. Diff Eqs delves into Eigenvalues and Matrices. Matrices is what Linear Algebra is all about for the most part. It will be helpful in dynamics and matlab courses for sure. Matlab is almost all matrices, and being able to understand them will help. Dynamics goes into coordinate transformations, transposes and inverses of matrices, which are all covered in linear algebra. It’s nice being able to understand what you’re doing. </p>
<p>I’m a Structural Engineer and have to take it. My friends in Mechanical which chose not to take linear algebra ask me what they are doing with matrices on a regular basis in dynamics.</p>
<p>Surprising that it is not required. At an rate, take it. You would be silly not to.</p>
<p>chaoswithinthed,
huh? dynamics does not touch on matrices at all, it’s mostly physics and some tiny bit of diff eq. I have no idea why your friend would ask you about linear algebra.</p>
<p>None of my classes uses linear algebra, unless you count those tensor/stress stuff, which comes in a matrix form sometimes, but that’s more like calc 3 stuff.</p>
<p>Linear algebra has no use for ME’s. I took it at the end of my freshman year. And i’m a junior now.</p>
<p>It depends on how your dynamics class is taught. Any time you deal with second-order ODEs in dynamics you will likely be doing a fair bit of linear algebra. Eigenvalue problems are pervasive in dynamics.</p>
<p>It’s been some years but I kind of remember when I took my Diff EQ course, once we started doing second-order ODE’s, the prof gave a mini-intro to Linear Algebra to help us with our solutions. At that time at Michigan State, Diff Eq was required in order to take Linear Algebra…which was called “Theory of Matrices”. Also at that time, ALL engineering, CS and physics majors has to take the sequence of Calculus I, II, III, IV, Diff Eq and Theory of Matrices.</p>
<p>Note: We were on quarters at the time so Calculus I, II, III, IV = Calculus I, II, III on a semester basis.</p>
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<p>Ya, I bet it depends quite a bit. I know all my ME friends took a statics/dynamics class which was the basics. Then they take another class devoted to Dyanmics. I’ve looked at the textbook and it’s not difficult linear algebra, but they use some of the basics.</p>
<p>boneh3ad, eigenvalue problems are covered in diff eq, so that’s not exclusively linear algebra. </p>
<p>Why would you need to know how to transform a matrix or finding its span, in dynamics? calc 3 IMO is much more relevant in dynamics because there are always problems with vectors in 3D</p>
<p>Calc III is relevant in dynamics, as is linear algebra. In particular, analytical dynamics, nonlinear dynamics, stability and all those sorts of things. Additionally, if the dynamics class touches on state space then you will be hitting matrices reasonably hard.</p>
<p>However, it still goes back to eigenvectors, eigenvalues and all the concepts those related to in science. They are a very powerful tool, and most differential equations classes only touch on how to find eigenvalues. There are many, many instances where eigenvalues are useless without also knowing the eigenvectors, otherwise you can’t really describe the eigenmodes. The bottom line is that linear algebra is a useful skill to have, especially since you will likely see it rear its head in future classes and you will also likely have to program at some point, which is heavily linear algebra dependent.</p>