Favorite Math

[QuickSilver]

Over the years you've probably picked up the "basic food groups" of mathematics:

Arithmetic
Geometry
Algebra
Trigonometry
Calculus

Which one did you find most easily assimilated?

[emanon]

Good question. I like the neatness of formulas, so I picked algebra. I hated geometry for the most part. Proofs should have been okay since they are logic but I didn't really like writing them out in proof format.

[zief]

I like algebra a lot. But i despise geometry. :yuck::veryangry:

[ChrisM]

Not INTJ, but Geometry came the easiest (never had to study). Algebra came the hardest (didn't care for upper algebra).

Calculus (a combination of the two) was by far my favorite somehow.



Edit: I have a theory that those natural in algebra don't like geometry and vice versa.

[Marcus]

Geometry: I was not bad at it, but always considered it as a foreign world.

I loved calculus, but I had an excellent teacher. You did not mention combinatorics/graph theory. Those were easy/fun like a game.

[ssrprotege]

Algebra and calculus :thumbsup:

I find geometry pretty boring.

[Lucid]

I used to hate math and think I was really terrible at it. Last semester I had an algebra class and had a really good teacher (for a change) and found I really liked FOIL and linear equations.

[Tenacious B]

No diff eq?

[ThaiGreenTea]

I hate math in all forms, yet I'm still pretty good at it. INTJ to the rescue!

[Fej]

INTJ and I don't like math, its boring.

[Danisty]

Geometry was my favorite. I struggled with algebra until I took chemistry.

[Arcani]

No diff eq?

We classified that halfway between linear algebra and calculus when I took it.

[fonmaneal]

Geometry, good.
Arithmetic, borrrring!

[Minerva]

Calculus, baby!

[Aven]

Geometry: I was not bad at it, but always considered it as a foreign world.

I loved calculus, but I had an excellent teacher. You did not mention combinatorics/graph theory. Those were easy/fun like a game.

Stop being a geek!

Just kidding, my bf said I would enjoy those.

Can non-INTJs vote? I did test INTJ several times in HS :D.

I'm a fan of Differential Equations, so far, Calc III was the funnest of the Calcs.

I like Algebra better than Geometry, but upper-level classes are actually the funnest for me, the more complex the better I get it, the easy stuff has always been hard for me to grasp.

[Karamazov]

I'm good with Algebra, but math, in general, I've have never been interested in the least.

[QuickSilver]

Not INTJ, but Geometry came the easiest (never had to study). Algebra came the hardest (didn't care for upper algebra).

Calculus (a combination of the two) was by far my favorite somehow.



Edit: I have a theory that those natural in algebra don't like geometry and vice versa.

I'm an ENTP, and my situation is similar to yours.


Here's a very rough sketch of what I'm thinking about this:

I predict that some folks will favor Algebra, whereas others will favor Geometry and (more ambiguously) Calculus.


I think this may have something to do with some people favoring formal logic (deductive reasoning?), while others favor using 3d spatial memory and global knowledge to construct models (probabilistic reasoning?).

Based upon discussions with Monte314, I'm thinking that algebra people favor rules-based-knowledge, whereas Geometry leverage global memory across 3d spatial working memory and run regression-analysis/categorization.

Overall, the brain seems to use regression-analysis/categorization to create models, then interfaces rules-based-knowledge systems to filter out only the best models. Within that context, Algebra people and Geometry people allocate greater emphasis (and more development) to one system or the other.

I think that some favor Algebra because they can "run" it directly on their preferred cognitive system. (This poll shows that Algebra enjoys more love than hate with INTJ's), while those who favor Geometry do so because they can "run" it directly in spatial model systems.

The problem for this metaphor is that, while the people may be dichotomized into two groups, the functions have a great deal of overlap.

Here's an interesting article in that area: To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[Monte314]

Tenacious B:

I never enjoyed grinding out the formulae for ODE's or PDE's. But I do get a kick out of procedural methods for their solution such as:

1.) Integral Transofrms (Laplace, Fourier)
2.) Power Series Methods
3.) Finite Element Methods, especially when there is a simulation involved

In my Modeling and Simulation class, I typically solve a problem that consists of a system of two different sized weights on a frictionless track, interconnected by three springs of different sizes. We work out the FEM approximation, and then code it up right there in class. The students freak when they see the simulated masses and springs snapping around on a projection screen... and when they realize that we can now adjust the problem parameters (spring constants, masses, lengths, initial conditions), they begin to understand how important differential equations are for practical engineering problems. After all, lots of DE's that arise in the "real world" don't have nice closed-form analytic solutions.

[Moriarty]

Triangles, rectangles and circles/ arcs have pretty much been my livelihood these past few years. It comes pretty easily for me.

What I do not enjoy are basic arithmetic and basic algebra. It seems that the less complex a problem is, the more likely I am to make simple mistakes and not catch them. I've been that way with math since I was in elementary school.

Developing a radar instrument approach procedure for a heavy aircraft is another story. I'm sure my calculator has alot to do with my success rate. ;)

[QuickSilver]

What I do not enjoy are basic arithmetic and basic algebra. It seems that the less complex a problem is, the more likely I am to make simple mistakes and not catch them. I've been that way with math since I was in elementary school.



I'm exactly the same way; from a competitive standpoint it's not too hard to best me on simple yet highly repetitive operations (small errors will crop up and need to be corrected, which reduces speed)- it is only when complexity rises to levels not tolerable to others that I am really in my own element.

[trousers]

To be honest, I've got a maths degree and still don't quite understand the differences between the types of math in the OP. In England, we generally split maths into pure maths, applied maths and statistics. I definitely prefer pure maths because of the proofs involved and how incredibly logical it was. I got bored and frustrated at university quickly though, it just wasn't practical enough. I can prove that pi is a transcendental number but so what? I used to think of pure maths as mental masturbation after a while and that's not what I like to spend my time doing. Specifically, off the top of my head, my favorite 'modules' where graph theory and game theory.

[quest ion]

It's a draw between Geometry and Trigo for the favourite..
and most hated goes to Calculus...

[tichila]

Algebra, Calculus :)
Geomethy :(

[AncientOfDays]

Isn't trig a part of geometry?

Obviously calculus is the most useful and versitile, but imo most unintuitive.