<p>which should I take?</p>
<p>Note: I'm not that good at math.</p>
<p>statistics is easier than calculus</p>
<p>Math for liberal arts? What on earth is that?</p>
<p>It's a math gen. ed. class for liberal arts majors.</p>
<p>this is a great thread</p>
<p>stats is something you can always use and is necessary in most of the social sciences</p>
<p>
[quote]
It's a math gen. ed. class for liberal arts majors.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yeah, I gathered that. But what is it specifically? It's not calc, it's not stat... what is it?</p>
<p>It's supposed to be more problem solving and history of math type stuff.</p>
<p>it sounds easier than stat...find out what it is then decide. If it is like a high school class with a mix of geometry, trig and precalculus...I would take that. It seems like a breeze, and you should have already learned most of it.</p>
<p>But if you've already learned it then I would take stat...Stat can be really cool too.</p>
<p>I wouldn't take math you already know. That class sounds like it would be really boring. Why not challenge yourself a little more?</p>
<p>Take Stats. It's a pretty interesting class and you can apply it in a lot of non-math related areas. Of all the math I've taken I found it the most interesting and enjoyable. Plus a lot of it can be done on a calculator.</p>
<p>Sometimes you'll need both. Math for Liberal Arts is usually the equiavelent of high school Algebra II. My school requires both.</p>
<p>You'll need both in real life. Stats, as some have said, can be applied everywhere. However, you'd be surprised how often you need to use algebra and not know it. Both courses can be done much easier with a calculator.</p>
<p>Unless it's required, forget Calculus. My grandfather was a mechanical engineer and never took a Calc class in his life. Goes to show that it has no real purpose other than to confuse kids--and this is coming from someone who likes math!</p>
<p>if you know math up to calc, definitely take stat, I'm taking it during summer session now, and it's definitely worth knowing.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My grandfather was a mechanical engineer and never took a Calc class in his life.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Did he teach himself calc? Pretty much all of the core MechE classes use calc, like thermodynamics etc. What about reading papers, understanding what your peers are doing...</p>
<p>I think he picked some of the concepts up from other classes (he mentioned Descriptive Geometry or something along that line) but keep in mind his freshman year was 1947. Things have probably changed.</p>
<p>If you're good at math, I'd say take Stats. You'd be surprised at how useful of a class it is. It's also a lot more reading than actual math concepts. But if you're hopeless at math, then take the general math ed class.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Things have probably changed.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Calc has been around much longer than that. A standard thermo class spends a lot of time talking about cycles in steam engines. A lot hasn't changed, too.</p>
<p>I am awful at math, and I found Stats pretty easy. It's also kind of interesting!</p>
<p>I took Math for Liberal Arts and it was incredibly easy. There was a mix of everything- business math (compound and simple interest, APR, calculating mortgage payments), geometry, history (calculating using the Mayan system), probability, and statistics. I got an A and feel as though I learned something (especially with regard to business math), but wish I had taken Stats, because I feel that class would have been more useful in the long run. </p>
<p>It was an easy A for me (and I'm awful at math), so if you absolutely want an A in a math class, go for it.</p>