Supreme111 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Take Real > Analysis, Abstract Algebra, or 4th dimensional > Topology. 4th dimension is for pansies - heavy rollers go N-dimensional
The only class I took in college that was harder was engineering dynamics. It is one of those classes where either you get it or you dont. I got in enough to pass the tests and it was useless knowledge thereafter. I did find my other math classes like multivariable calc…pretty useful for setting up regression models but unless you are getting involved in some serious quant…DE’s are pretty useless. I wouldnt be discouraged…DE’s is where a lot of people like myself start to lose interest in math.
Isn’t some knowledge of differential equations a MUST for graduate Finance/Economics study?
Its a requirement for PHD econ, though I never used it in my first year. It was offered with linear algebra at my school so I had to take them together.
the process and steps are pretty straight forward but this guy incorporates ridiculous trig functions to integrate. I saw an integration by parts dealing with arctan and other trig functions and almost threw up. I hear stochastic process and topology are the hardest undergrad math courses.
BizBanker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Its a requirement for PHD econ, though I never > used it in my first year. It was offered with > linear algebra at my school so I had to take them > together. Oh, I had Linear Algebra and Differential Equations together too. We started with DEs, then did Linear Algebra, then I remember something about how eigenvalues and the characteristic polynomial helped you solve differential equations, but I confess I forget how that worked.
Mobius Striptease Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Supreme111 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > Take Real > > Analysis, Abstract Algebra, or 4th dimensional > > Topology. > > 4th dimension is for pansies - heavy rollers go > N-dimensional I agree. I’ve never heard of 4-dimensional topology.
BizBanker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Its a requirement for PHD econ, though I never > used it in my first year. It was offered with > linear algebra at my school so I had to take them > together. You didn’t have to use differential equations during your first year in the Econ PhD program? Knowing differential equations is a must. Even though often equations can not be solved analytically, you can learn a lot from analyzing its phase space and looking at eigenvalues. You have to know differential equations to analyze impact of different factors in the neo-classical growth theory. I don’t see a way around it.
BCEagle10 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This class is ridiculously hard. Haven’t taken > calc since multivariable freshman year. Anyone > agree with this? I also have a mid term coming up > soon can anyone give me some good resources for > study tools? teacher is horrendous and is russian. Simple differential equations are relatively simple. Partial differential equations are way more difficult and only very special kinds of non-linear equations can be solved. Tell your professor that you’ve heard of great Russian mathematicians Petrovsky, Arnold and Filippov and ask whether he would recommend a textbook on differential equations by one of them.
I think this is why I had problems with my differential equations class. It was the first time I seriously had to deal with the fact that not all equations could be solved analytically, and that just didn’t fit with my understanding of how mathematics worked. I kept thinking that numerical methods were just some cheap crutch that showed that I wasn’t smart enough to solve the thing, and that must mean I was no good at it. Looking back on it, I think I would have managed it better if I just accepted that the lesson was that only certain kinds of equations (or integrals) can be solved, but we have a next-best solution that works fine in many situations.
maratikus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > BizBanker Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Its a requirement for PHD econ, though I never > > used it in my first year. It was offered with > > linear algebra at my school so I had to take > them > > together. > > You didn’t have to use differential equations > during your first year in the Econ PhD program? > Knowing differential equations is a must. Even > though often equations can not be solved > analytically, you can learn a lot from analyzing > its phase space and looking at eigenvalues. You > have to know differential equations to analyze > impact of different factors in the neo-classical > growth theory. I don’t see a way around it. Nope. Unless it was Spring Q macro which is the only class I didnt take was part of the curriculum. By that time I realized I wasnt going to complete the PhD and started prepping for the MA exit exam and took a class in behavioral economics instead. Graduate school and UC Santa Barbara dont mix very well.