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Animate Dreams

Alright, I ended up in a pretty sorry situation this semester. I suck at math, and I ended up in a high level math class. Numerical Analysis. It's supposed to be a class where algorithms that need to be ran several times to get a close approximation are run on computers... or something like that. The book covers how to write out calculus problems in computer understandable form, and how to handle truncation, and how to approximate extremely large numbers, and the like. It also covers advanced mathematical formulas. But we got a new teacher this year who hasn't really figured out that he has CS majors, not Math majors, and he decided he doesn't like computers, so he won't cover them. And he isn't satisfied with us knowing how to solve problems, he wants us to be able to prove everything. But I've only taken Calc 1 and 2 in college. I've never had to prove anything, ever. I have no idea how to do anything he asks.

So basically, I need a way to learn Numerical analysis, quickly. But my book is too computer-focused and doesn't help a bit. And the teacher's notes are extremely long formulas that make zero sense to me. I'm hoping you guys have taken a simslar class and can refer me to a book or a website, because I'm completely unprepared for this class and I can't even find anything on the internet to help me. I thought I had made some progress on my last assignment, only to fond out that my arguments weren't proofiness enough for him.

Blocks · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:31 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

There is a book called Numerical Recipes that is a bible on implementing numerical methods. The Wikipedia article on numerical analysis isn't bad either, and is well-linked.

If you want to proofify your calculus skills, I recommend Calculus, Vol. 1 by Tom Apostol.

If you want an online textbook, try out Sean's Applied Math Book.

Just beware that "this is math, bro" and there's no easy way out.

Animate Dreams · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:24 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

I know there's no easy way out. But I guarantee these are all easier than just sitting in the class and staring at the wall and hoping he passes me for fun.

Btw, I called this topic "Ani's Homework Help" because when I'm not working on Numerical Analysis, I'm sure I'll have problems in one of my other classes... A.I., Programming Languages, Operating Systems, maybe Calc 3(too bad Numerical Analysis makes it look like dog poo), but I think I'll spare you guys the Ancient Greek.

rootbear75 · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:51 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

add/drop date past? if not, go to a different professor

Animate Dreams · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:01 am *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

No other professor. It's an upper division math course, there aren't enough people who are even eligible to take it to have more than one class of it.

Purge · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:09 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

Drop it and take it in the summer or next semester.

Samapico · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:48 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

Drop out completely and come clean my shoes
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(Insert a bunch of dead links here)

Animate Dreams · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:37 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

not offered in the summer or next semester

what are you paying per hour on the shoes bit

Samapico · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:21 am *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

10$ / hour for the shoes

but my shoes are realllllllllly dirty (3 hours work on them each)

Blocks · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:15 am *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

rootbear75 · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:17 am *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

they must be sentimental of very very comfortable

Animate Dreams · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:13 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

yeah, I could never get rid of my old belt. It's snapped like a thousand times, and I just keep stapling it back together, it's pretty bad... but I love it.

Muskrat · Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 9:26 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

I'm in Numerical Analysis right now and I was just cursing it for being too computery. The book we are using is Applied Numerical Analysis by Gerald/Wheatly.

Animate Dreams · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:00 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

Alright, I ended up having to drop Numerical Analysis. We had a test and it was basically all proofs... I could only answer one question. I didn't get full credit on it, but I got most of it. I wonder if he was just being nice. Anyway, I have to consider next semester now. I'll have to take Numerical Analysis next fall, so I need to try to prepare in the spring. I'm taking Calc 3 now, and I have to take Discrete and Linear Algebra next semester anyway, but... I've never taken trigonometry or pre-cal. So, I'm considering taking pre-cal next semester. I know I've already taken Calculus 1-3, but I never did learn all the trig I was supposed to. Plus, I'm just bad at math in general. I can do most of the work, but I can't do any proofs at all. I really don't understand math on the higher level I assume I need to be able to, to understand Numerical Analysis. So, do you guys think taking pre-cal would be a good idea? Or is there another class I could take that would help me understand math better? In my Calculus classes, I always barely scraped by, learning all the procedures and just left it at that. Oh, and basically ignoring all the trig. I mean, I learned what I could, but any time they'd use something they assumed you would already know, I'd just be screwed. I just recently learned how to use the unit-circle, but my professors assume I have it memorized, by now. =\

tcsoccerman · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 11:07 pm *Post maybe stupid* Post subject:

i would suggest pre-calc myself. i took trig last year, and didn't find it all that important.