Math?

<p>What is the math program like at Reed?</p>

<p>I don't know the specific courses, but Reed is known as having one of the strongest math programs of any liberal arts college.</p>

<p>If you are thinking in terms of undergraduate preparation for advanced math degrees, Reed is fourth in future math PhD production after CalTech, Harvey Mudd, and MIT.</p>

<p>Ah, Reed Math. People tend to either love it or hate it with a passion. I happen to be one of the former.</p>

<p>Unlike most schools, Reed's math department teaches math for the sake of math, rather than as a tool of physics or engineering, much to the consternation of the science department.</p>

<p>Reed math classes are oriented around proofs rather than solving specific problems (such as evaluating integrals). For example, in Math 112 (which is technically the equivalent of AP Calc BC, but bears little resemblance) you'll formally prove everything from 2 + 2 = 4 to Euler's formula using the field axioms and some basic set theory. And work in fields where 4 = 0. This entails forgetting everything you've learned since preschool and completely reconceptualizing what things like "1" and "0" mean.</p>

<p>I could ramble on for quite some time. Anyway, Reed math is Awesome.</p>

<p>If you have more specific questions, I would enjoy the excuse to ramble some more.</p>

<p>Great. I'm applying as a transfer for fall 2008 and I was wondering about the math program too. I'm doing Math/Econ as my major but I wanted to stray away from pure economic math so I'm glad to hear they have an open-minded math program as well.</p>