Re: Calculus in ever day work and life?

On Aug 20, 7:36 am, John Bailey <john_bai...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:58:59 -0700 (PDT), Russ <uriah...@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

What kind of jobs actually use calculus in a day to day way, where you
have to be able to work problems like you did in school?   Don't most
engineers use a computer to do the math.  What are the jobs where you
need to sit and work with pen and paper using advanced math?  Do you
know of anyone who uses advanced math on a day to day basis?

Learning calculus is not about solving problems, its about learning a
language!  

The most value of calculus and other advanced math for perhaps 99.9%
of the engineers who suffer through it is the ability to read and
understand advanced solutions to key problems that are useful to
engineers.

Thinking back on 57 years of engineering and engineering management, I
can think of only one design that depended on advanced mathematics
that I directly applied.  On the other hand, there are many many
advances in engineering over that same period where comprehension of
the value and use of new concepts depended on being able to read the
technical papers.  Examples include: Kalman filtering and control,
Fast Fourier Transforms, Wavelets, Bayesian inference, solid state
physics (diodes and transistors),  holography, Black-Scholes option
pricing (applies to large project investments)

Think of it as learning a language.  A few go on to write great
literature but the rest of us just wish they would teach it that way.

By the way, another domain to which the above comments also apply is
quantative finance.  The mathematical density of the best  papers on
hedging, portfolio selection, options and swaps is enormous.  I can
provide a reading list on request.  If you don't plan to become a
broker, consider what you will need when you retire.

I am studying mathematics so that I will have the background to
understand quantitative finance. Although I have quite a number of
books dealing with the topice, I would appreciate a reading list.
Thanks
Alan
.

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