Maths and Theoretical Physics Course Thread TR031 TR035

asdfghjz · 08-09-2011 11:24am

fh041205 wrote: »

This....will....be.....epic. **** it I'm gonna go to that.

It has the potential to be pretty awful depending on who else is taking it... Has anyone any experience with the lecturer?

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

Also haha, another lecturer giving algebraic and projective geometry? Maybe I can attend it this year, and successfully manage to attend the same course in three consecutive years with three different lecturers.

How did you find it / why did you audit it twice?

Maybe_Memories · 08-09-2011 1:10pm

We don't have Pete for ODE's......

PurpleFistMixer · 08-09-2011 1:14pm

asdfghjz wrote: »

How did you find it / why did you audit it twice?

I went to it originally in my second year because it looked interesting, and it was. It was taught by Dr. Lazaroiu who I think is a very interesting lecturer (though I think he might be gone now)... though I didn't actually sit the exam in the end (since I'm a TP and had other exams to do). I decided to go to it in third year because it was being taught by Dr. Zaitsev who I heard good things about. The content of the course was almost completely different (we did mostly commutative algebra with Lazaroiu) so I kept going. Probably won't do it again though, I hear fourth year is hard or something.

Tears in Rain · 08-09-2011 1:43pm

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

I went to it originally in my second year because it looked interesting, and it was. It was taught by Dr. Lazaroiu who I think is a very interesting lecturer (though I think he might be gone now)... though I didn't actually sit the exam in the end (since I'm a TP and had other exams to do). I decided to go to it in third year because it was being taught by Dr. Zaitsev who I heard good things about. The content of the course was almost completely different (we did mostly commutative algebra with Lazaroiu) so I kept going. Probably won't do it again though, I hear fourth year is hard or something.

Did you just wander into the lectures or did you email the lecturer first or something?

PurpleFistMixer · 08-09-2011 2:08pm

Tears in Rain wrote: »

Did you just wander into the lectures or did you email the lecturer first or something?

I just turned up. I'm not sure if they ever realised I wasn't in the class. I even went to tutorials (though there weren't many of those).

KarlD93 · 08-09-2011 4:39pm

I'm just about to start JF maths this year and I was just wondering about the timetable. Does anyone know what MA011Mt is??? Can't find that code anywhere. Timetable here: http://www.maths.tcd.ie/undergraduate/timetable/ttjf.html Thanks

Oh, and can anyone briefly explain to me what is 'Analysis on the Real Line', doesn't say on the site.

Maybe_Memories · 08-09-2011 4:44pm

KarlD93 wrote: »

I'm just about to start JF maths this year and I was just wondering about the timetable. Does anyone know what MA011Mt is??? Can't find that code anywhere. Timetable here: http://www.maths.tcd.ie/undergraduate/timetable/ttjf.html Thanks

Oh, and can anyone briefly explain to me what is 'Analysis on the Real Line', doesn't say on the site.

MA011Mt is the maths help room. You don't have to go there, but if there's a problem you can't solve, they'll give you a hint or whatever.

Analysis on the Real Line is basically derivatives and integrals from first principals as well as stuff on sequences and series.

PurpleFistMixer · 08-09-2011 6:11pm

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

MA011Mt is the maths help room. You don't have to go there, but if there's a problem you can't solve, they'll give you a hint or whatever.

WTF, maths helproom is only twice a week now?

Aoibheann · 08-09-2011 7:20pm

New choices are going to kill me. I now want to do Lie Algebras, Modular Forms and PDEs along with the 60 credits I have. Oh, and also Harmonic Analysis. So every new course they have.

Gaaah! I already had difficulty narrowing down my original choices to 60 credits. >.<

PurpleFistMixer · 08-09-2011 7:39pm

I'm already planning on doing 65 credits, but I'm still missing out on a bunch of courses I want to do, in both maths and physics... Still, not the worst complaint to have.

Aoibheann · 08-09-2011 7:48pm

Ooh, what are you taking? I'm definitely going to have to sit in on a lot of extra lectures the first while 'til I see what I really want to do most, and hopefully I'll cut it back to 60-65 then! >_<

fh041205 · 08-09-2011 10:37pm

asdfghjz wrote: »

It has the potential to be pretty awful depending on who else is taking it... Has anyone any experience with the lecturer?

Tim Murphy isn't it? He was entertaining, but I wouldn't expect him to impart too much knowledge on you. But the random stuff he mentions in lectures are interesting if you take note and look them up.

PurpleFistMixer wrote:

I went to it originally in my second year because it looked interesting, and it was. It was taught by Dr. Lazaroiu who I think is a very interesting lecturer (though I think he might be gone now)...

He was an awful lecturer IMO. Learned nothing from. And one of the most unhelpful/unpleasant individuals to deal with leading up to the exam as well. The exam was a joke, and I believe he himself was removed from the exam hall. I deduced this from his pacing up and down outside the door mumbling grievances at Dr. O'Donovan and the security guards.

He's on an extended (I think forced) leave of absence. Damn tenure....

Lie Algebras look cool. And Harmonic is back!!!

PurpleFistMixer · 09-09-2011 12:44am

Aoibheann wrote: »

Ooh, what are you taking? I'm definitely going to have to sit in on a lot of extra lectures the first while 'til I see what I really want to do most, and hopefully I'll cut it back to 60-65 then! >_<

QFT (10), DG/GR (10), Standard Model + Yang Mills (10), Project (10), then 25 of physics. I can make it a 5 credit project if necessary, but I really want to do a 10 credit one...

fh041205 wrote: »

He was an awful lecturer IMO. Learned nothing from. And one of the most unhelpful/unpleasant individuals to deal with leading up to the exam as well. The exam was a joke, and I believe he himself was removed from the exam hall. I deduced this from his pacing up and down outside the door mumbling grievances at Dr. O'Donovan and the security guards.

He's on an extended (I think forced) leave of absence. Damn tenure...

The opinion you express seems to be the popular one, but I really enjoyed his lectures. The little tangents about category theory were cool. I didn't have any contact with him outside of lectures/tutorials though, and I didn't have to learn the stuff to actually sit an exam in it, so maybe I'm biased.

Aoibheann · 09-09-2011 1:13am

Is the Yang-Mills course only for SSTPs? If it was running next year, I'd be really interested in taking it (it tied in a lot with my internship this summer) and it would kinda suck if I couldn't. I guess I could ask permission to take it if it was only listed for TPs.. Must find out if I would be allowed.

And a 5 credit project pretty much seems to be the same work as a 10 credit one, but with half the value (from what various people have told me), so you're probably better off.

fh041205 · 09-09-2011 9:32am

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

The opinion you express seems to be the popular one, but I really enjoyed his lectures. The little tangents about category theory were cool. I didn't have any contact with him outside of lectures/tutorials though, and I didn't have to learn the stuff to actually sit an exam in it, so maybe I'm biased.

Apparently he likes to teach Category theory no matter what course he's actually doing. I believe he tried to do this with the scientists one year, which I can only imagine went swimmingly.

In fact, IIRC the previous GR class he taught had very polarised opinions about him.

I feel like he's going to get me for what I posted.......

Projects: 5 credit one is about 70-75% of the work for a 10 cred one from my experience. And the project will kill you, but its fun at the same time.

PurpleFistMixer · 10-09-2011 12:56pm

Aoibheann wrote: »

Is the Yang-Mills course only for SSTPs? If it was running next year, I'd be really interested in taking it (it tied in a lot with my internship this summer) and it would kinda suck if I couldn't. I guess I could ask permission to take it if it was only listed for TPs.. Must find out if I would be allowed.

It doesn't seem to have any prerequesites listed, so maybe JS can also take it. Though given it's second semester and Shatashvili I'm guessing there's some QFT going on...

CJC86 · 10-09-2011 5:58pm

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

MA011Mt is the maths help room. You don't have to go there, but if there's a problem you can't solve, they'll give you a hint or whatever.

Analysis on the Real Line is basically derivatives and integrals from first principals as well as stuff on sequences and series.

No, this is wrong. MA011Mt is not one of the normal helprooms, it's a problem solving class which introduces the abstract subjects like Algebra and Analysis to students who have just come from secondary school.

I know I'm biased, as I give them, but I think they are very useful to people who actually turn up. They aim to let students actually get to grip with the more abstract questions in the presence of a tutor.

You should go to everything that you're timetabled for in first year, don't listen to people telling you that you can skip this or that. You may feel after a while that you don't need to go to everything, but make that decision on your own, not from people on the internet telling you how easy it all is.

Aoibheann · 10-09-2011 8:51pm

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

It doesn't seem to have any prerequesites listed, so maybe JS can also take it. Though given it's second semester and Shatashvili I'm guessing there's some QFT going on...

I meant SS Maths, because it's only listed for SSTPs as it stands, which I found quite odd! I figured it wouldn't be possible for JS, although I might have a nose into the start of it because I found it really interesting during my internship. Might just be able to follow the early stuff. Maybe.

Oh! Also, I appear to be a peer mentor to first years, presuming work lets me take an early lunch, so I'll probably see a few of the new people - if this thread hasn't just been full of people already here/finished! :P

dabh · 10-09-2011 9:23pm

Aoibheann wrote: »

I meant SS Maths, because it's only listed for SSTPs as it stands, which I found quite odd! I figured it wouldn't be possible for JS, although I might have a nose into the start of it because I found it really interesting during my internship. Might just be able to follow the early stuff. Maybe.

Oh! Also, I appear to be a peer mentor to first years, presuming work lets me take an early lunch, so I'll probably see a few of the new people - if this thread hasn't just been full of people already here/finished! :P

Maybe you might consider consulting with maths staff in person whether the Yang-Mills module would be suitable given your background. I note that the module concerns 'classical' Yang-Mills. The Michaelmas Term module on Differential Geometry may be useful. (In principle, the stuff taught by the previous DG lecturer concerning 'connections on vector bundles' ought to be relevant.)

Aoibheann · 10-09-2011 9:31pm

dabh wrote: »

Maybe you might consider consulting with maths staff in person whether the Yang-Mills module would be suitable given your background. I note that the module concerns 'classical' Yang-Mills. The Michaelmas Term module on Differential Geometry may be useful. (In principle, the stuff taught by the previous DG lecturer concerning 'connections on vector bundles' ought to be relevant.)

That's certainly a good idea! I got to read a bit about it, as I was using the Yang-Mills existence and the mass gap Millenium Prize problem as motivation for the project I was doing and I really enjoyed it - so I'd love to be able to take the course. I chose DG for this year, and I'm taking the three standard TP maths modules as well (and trying to find room for Lie Algebras!), so I'd be hoping to take QFT, GR, the Standard Model course and the Yang-Mills module next year (should they be offered, of course). I have the previous DG notes and have read through them a few times, it's just a matter of getting stuck in now I suppose!

dabh · 10-09-2011 9:48pm

Aoibheann wrote: »

That's certainly a good idea! I got to read a bit about it, as I was using the Yang-Mills existence and the mass gap Millenium Prize problem as motivation for the project I was doing and I really enjoyed it - so I'd love to be able to take the course. I chose DG for this year, and I'm taking the three standard TP maths modules as well (and trying to find room for Lie Algebras!), so I'd be hoping to take QFT, GR, the Standard Model course and the Yang-Mills module next year (should they be offered, of course). I have the previous DG notes and have read through them a few times, it's just a matter of getting stuck in now I suppose!

If you are doing DG this year, maybe you should enquire whether you can continue on to GR this year, rather than waiting till next year. The GR may specify both MA3432 as a prerequisite. But it would be worth enquiring whether MA3431 would be sufficient. Some background in Electromagnetic Theory would be necessary for the treatment of the Reissner-Nordström metric. But maybe the stuff in MA3431 (Classical Field Theory) might suffice?

Aoibheann · 10-09-2011 9:56pm

dabh wrote: »

If you are doing DG this year, maybe you should enquire whether you can continue on to GR this year, rather than waiting till next year. The GR may specify both MA3432 as a prerequisite. But it would be worth enquiring whether MA3431 would be sufficient. Some background in Electromagnetic Theory would be necessary for the treatment of the Reissner-Nordström metric. But maybe the stuff in MA3431 (Classical Field Theory) might suffice?

Would GR be manageable for a JS student, do you think? I think it was originally on our list of choices, but it was removed days before we were required to submit our choices initially. I think we all took it that the module this year would probably be too advanced because of that! It does currently state MA3432 is a pre-requisite, but I'll definitely make enquiries - there's a few of us in the class that would potentially be interested in doing this (those few of us all switched from TP in order to get additional maths courses we found more useful for TP!), so it's worth a shot.

dabh · 10-09-2011 10:34pm

Aoibheann wrote: »

Would GR be manageable for a JS student, do you think? I think it was originally on our list of choices, but it was removed days before we were required to submit our choices initially. I think we all took it that the module this year would probably be too advanced because of that! It does currently state MA3432 is a pre-requisite, but I'll definitely make enquiries - there's a few of us in the class that would potentially be interested in doing this (those few of us all switched from TP in order to get additional maths courses we found more useful for TP!), so it's worth a shot.

I suggest it is worth making enquiries. Also some module may be taken by TPs in their fourth year because they were otherwise engaged in their 3rd year. (Exception to this is of course QFT, which is probably unimaginable except as a 4th year course.) Also maybe certain modules might be problematic for single-honor maths students who haven't got the necessary background in Physics. But for those who have made the switch...

Aoibheann · 10-09-2011 10:54pm

Really appreciate all the helpful advice, thank you so much! I'll make enquiries early in the week so.

Tears in Rain · 10-09-2011 10:58pm

So any tips for surviving 2nd year TP?

Aoibheann · 10-09-2011 11:24pm

Tears in Rain wrote: »

So any tips for surviving 2nd year TP?

Switch to Maths. :pac:

Do your assignments, particularly mechanics. It really, really helps, and it makes the exam very pleasant (especially in that subject). Don't assume if you got away with dossing in first year, that you will this year. It's unlikely that it will work two years in a row - if it does, I take my hat off to you. If you have any problems following geometry (analysis in several real variables/calc. on manifolds), do ask questions. I can not imagine that learning off theorems the length of the inverse function theorem without having any understanding of them is pleasant. It's actually a fascinating course, which is incredibly useful, but you really need to pay attention.

In physics, make sure you understand what you're writing in your lab report because you will be asked. I'd also suggest LaTeXing your reports - the lecturer questioning me asked why nobody else apart from me did theirs in that format, and it looks a lot nicer and neater than MS Word, or a scrawled report. Actually, if you don't know LaTeX, I suggest you learn. It's useful and it means you can make your notes nice and pretty.

Oh, and try schols. It's worth a shot at least.

PurpleFistMixer · 10-09-2011 11:47pm

Re: LaTeXing reports. I agree and it's good to learn LaTeX. However, it's just "nice" to do. In 2nd year, of the 3 people in my lab group, one of us used LaTeX, another used Word, and another handwrote the stuff, and there were never significant differences in the grades we got.

Also, re: mechanics. The exam is pretty much the homeworks, it's perfectly possible to get 100% in it if you learn the right stuff, so don't be intimidated by how difficult it appears at first.

Aoibheann · 10-09-2011 11:52pm

Oh, I agree in that it certainly doesn't make a difference to the grades (fairly sure my group's grades were similar in the one assessment I was at), it's just a lot easier to read. Also, as you say, it's "nice".

And +1,000,000 on the mechanics. There's also a couple of exam problems covered entirely in class (some of the Euler angles stuff and the discrete rod one) but you'll see that when you start going through the papers after you get started.

Tears in Rain · 11-09-2011 12:34am

I enjoy LaTeX so I'll probably do my reports in it anyway, even if it's not necessary, I can't imagine anything with more than a couple of simple equations would look anything but horrible if done in MS Word or similar.

So would you say Mechanics is the most difficult of the second year courses? Or just one where doing assignments is particularly important? (I intend on doing all the assignments anyway!)

I've heard that the Physics doesn't really compare in terms of difficulty to the Maths, would this be accurate?

PurpleFistMixer · 11-09-2011 10:30pm

It's quite difficult to compare the difficulty of courses. For me, I found...

hardest exam: complex analysis
hardest conceptually: geometry
hardest questions: mechanics
hardest because you underestimate it: methods

I just added that last one because everyone seems to do that with methods (coincidentally it was my worst result in 2nd year maths). By hardest questions I mean that, if mechanics were not so predictable as an exam it would be much harder, but you can prepare for it a lot so it's not too bad.

For me, physics is usually easier than maths, just across the board. But maybe I'm bad at maths/good at physics or something. That said, there is less of a difference between them in 3rd year, ie, physics gets much harder/less elementary.

fh041205 · 12-09-2011 1:42pm

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

hardest exam: complex analysis

hardest because you underestimate it: methods

Was complex Zaitsev? I found the opposite with his exam, it was much easier than I expected. The way he does it will reward you if you have a general idea of whats going on and are willing to play with equations and stuff. And also learn theorem statements.

Also 100% agree about methods. I would add that doing schols and learning LaTeX are superflous IMO. If you feel that you're keeping up with lectures/assignments then by all means give it a lash, but otherwise its just an elaborate form of procrastination.

Tears in Rain · 12-09-2011 6:09pm

fh041205 wrote: »

I would add that doing schols and learning LaTeX are superflous IMO. If you feel that you're keeping up with lectures/assignments then by all means give it a lash, but otherwise its just an elaborate form of procrastination.

I can understand that about LaTeX but I don't see why Schols could be considered superfluous...after all wouldn't the worst case scenario be that you studied hard for Schols, didn't get it, but would be well prepared for summer exams?

Aoibheann · 12-09-2011 6:42pm

fh041205 wrote: »

Was complex Zaitsev? I found the opposite with his exam, it was much easier than I expected. The way he does it will reward you if you have a general idea of whats going on and are willing to play with equations and stuff. And also learn theorem statements.

Also 100% agree about methods. I would add that doing schols and learning LaTeX are superflous IMO. If you feel that you're keeping up with lectures/assignments then by all means give it a lash, but otherwise its just an elaborate form of procrastination.

Tears in Rain wrote: »

I can understand that about LaTeX but I don't see why Schols could be considered superfluous...after all wouldn't the worst case scenario be that you studied hard for Schols, didn't get it, but would be well prepared for summer exams?

Well, I'd hardly say the benefits of schols render it superfluous. Okay, if you're not willing to put in at least a bit of effort, it's a poor idea, but I think for anyone who tries, it's worthwhile. You end up making better notes - well, I did anyway. You have more practice at the intensity level of an exam, and, if you end up getting schols it would also be rather amazing.

Obviously, keeping up with assignments is the most crucial thing - but it was the first thing I said before I even mentioned the other two so I would assume that it's a given! :P

As for complex, Zaitsev took the course this year, but Stalker taught it last year and they certainly seemed to differ a bit. I definitely found the complex exam this year to be quite easy, and tbh I hadn't studied nearly enough. Kitson is down for teaching it this year, so it could be different once again, but he's an excellent lecturer in any case (any maths students will also have him for metrics).

PurpleFistMixer · 12-09-2011 8:31pm

fh041205 wrote: »

Was complex Zaitsev? I found the opposite with his exam, it was much easier than I expected. The way he does it will reward you if you have a general idea of whats going on and are willing to play with equations and stuff. And also learn theorem statements.

Also 100% agree about methods. I would add that doing schols and learning LaTeX are superflous IMO. If you feel that you're keeping up with lectures/assignments then by all means give it a lash, but otherwise its just an elaborate form of procrastination.

It was Stalker. I've heard that Zaitsev sets rather easy exams (though I've never taken any of them).

FWIW I learned LaTeX and did schols in second year, and neither did me any damage. LaTeX takes about an hour to learn (to make basic looking things) so it's not like it's taking much out of your study time.

Tears in Rain · 12-09-2011 8:32pm

Aoibheann wrote: »

Well, I'd hardly say the benefits of schols render it superfluous. Okay, if you're not willing to put in at least a bit of effort, it's a poor idea, but I think for anyone who tries, it's worthwhile. You end up making better notes - well, I did anyway. You have more practice at the intensity level of an exam, and, if you end up getting schols it would also be rather amazing.

Obviously, keeping up with assignments is the most crucial thing - but it was the first thing I said before I even mentioned the other two so I would assume that it's a given! :P

As for complex, Zaitsev took the course this year, but Stalker taught it last year and they certainly seemed to differ a bit. I definitely found the complex exam this year to be quite easy, and tbh I hadn't studied nearly enough. Kitson is down for teaching it this year, so it could be different once again, but he's an excellent lecturer in any case (any maths students will also have him for metrics).

Don't like these courses where the lecturer seems to change every year :<

dabh · 12-09-2011 8:52pm

Tears in Rain wrote: »

Don't like these courses where the lecturer seems to change every year :<

Welcome to the world of the School of Mathematics!

On the other hand, there are modules like MA2321/2 (SF geometry), MA3431/2 (JS classical fields and electromagnetism) and MA3441/2 (JS quantum mechanics) where lecturers have been teaching the material for decades...

Aoibheann · 12-09-2011 8:58pm

Tears in Rain wrote: »

Don't like these courses where the lecturer seems to change every year :<

Well, it's understandable that there's a new lecturer for Complex given last year's lecturer is teaching a year-long, sophister version of the course, and the previous year's lecturer is on sabbatical. As far as I can tell, most courses don't change hands too much, but this year is obviously different as there's been so many newly hired lecturers.

Out of curiosity, are the maths timetables (particularly for sophisters) appearing on portal for anyone? I know that most timetables are currently available on it, and I can get my timetable through some searching/module selection, but just wondering if it has actually appeared on anyone's personalised timetable yet?

dabh · 12-09-2011 9:02pm

Aoibheann wrote: »

Well, it's understandable that there's a new lecturer for Complex given last year's lecturer is teaching a year-long, sophister version of the course, and the previous year's lecturer is on sabbatical. As far as I can tell, most courses don't change hands too much, but this year is obviously different as there's been so many newly hired lecturers.

Out of curiosity, are the maths timetables (particularly for sophisters) appearing on portal for anyone? I know that most timetables are currently available on it, and I can get my timetable through some searching/module selection, but just wondering if it has actually appeared on anyone's personalised timetable yet?

So far as I can tell, students have not been registered for optional modules. I went looking for classlists for Sophister modules, but nobody was registered on the system for them.

Aoibheann · 12-09-2011 9:07pm

dabh wrote: »

So far as I can tell, students have not been registered for optional modules. I went looking for classlists for Sophister modules, but nobody was registered on the system for them.

Aha, thank you! I thought as much, but was afraid it was just myself. I appear to have some clashes as it stands, which is a shame - but I expected as much. Now to either switch modules, or arrange a rota between the people with the clash! :pac:

dabh · 12-09-2011 10:21pm

At undergraduate level, the subject does not change much from year to year. The text below is quoted from the course description for first year analysis (course 121) in the academic year 2001-02, as taught by Prof. Trevor West:---

Textbooks
No text book will be followed slavishly. It is difficult (if not impossible) to learn this material from a text book for the very good reason that text books start with axiom systems whereas analysis (calculus) was discovered and used highly successfully long before axiom systems were developed.
For those who wish to see a text book the following may appeal (this is a highly personal matter).

W. Rudin Principles of Mathematical Analysis.
D.G. Bell An Introduction to Real Analysis.
M. Spivak Calculus.

There are literally, hundreds of similar texts on which the light never shines in the bowels of the library.
Oct 9, 2001

KarlD93 · 12-09-2011 10:33pm

Seems like were in the same course

fh041205 · 12-09-2011 10:39pm

Aoibheann wrote: »

Well, I'd hardly say the benefits of schols render it superfluous. Okay, if you're not willing to put in at least a bit of effort, it's a poor idea, but I think for anyone who tries, it's worthwhile.

It just depends whether you think studying the entire courses twice in two 4 months periods or once in an 8 month period will benefit you more. I prefer the latter. Having said that, I recommend anyone reading takes your advice ahead of mine since you actually did it.

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

It was Stalker. I've heard that Zaitsev sets rather easy exams (though I've never taken any of them).

Well if you do no work you'll still fail, but he rewards you for having a general good idea of complex analysis rather than rote learning proofs and stuff which is nice.

Huh thats weird, it took me ages to get used to LaTeX and even now I still look up stuff all the time. Different strokes I guess...

Aoibheann · 12-09-2011 10:42pm

fh041205 wrote: »

It just depends whether you think studying the entire courses twice in two 4 months periods or once in an 8 month period will benefit you more. I prefer the latter. Having said that, I recommend anyone reading takes your advice ahead of mine since you actually did it.

I did schols while rather ill.. My advice is to be taken with a pinch of salt seeing as the venture wasn't exactly successful. :P This year, perhaps! Actually, did you have many timetable clashes last year/the year before? If so, did you just vary which you went to/get notes off others/something else? Trying to figure out the best way to do things, DG and QM are clashing and I imagine that either would be rather difficult to catch up on!

asdfghjz · 12-09-2011 10:49pm

Why not just leave DG for SS?

EuropeanSon · 12-09-2011 10:54pm

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

Yeah to be honest the vast majority of maths and TP students are very laid back. I mean we all (or nearly all) take our respective courses seriously but there's no crap like "you can't do such and such you're clearly going to fail and I'm so much better." Obviously there is healthy competition and that's good.

I agree with your comment on Gel'Fand's book. When you first read it it's like a kick in the face. Getting used to the style takes a while. But when you do get used to it it's a very interesting and dare I say entertaining book to work through.

Personally I can't wait 'till second semester this year. ODEs with Pete. Gonna be awesome!

Clearly I haven't been vocal enough.

Gelfand's book is lovely. I didn't see anything wrong with the style at all. Also, Durbin's Modern Algebra is excellent.

Aoibheann · 12-09-2011 11:00pm

asdfghjz wrote: »

Why not just leave DG for SS?

It's looking more and more likely at this rate. I think at the time, I was afraid of leaving it 'til next year as I already have 60+ credits of modules I'd ideally like to take then (should ones that tend to occur every 2 years be offered again), also the fact that I know it would be useful for some SS modules I'd be interested in, and I'd like to have the background down before I get on to them. However, I may switch it out in favour of PDEs and take it next year. I'm inevitably going to have some sort of a clash though, so I'll see! I might just switch out DG and attend it as an extra, and take it properly next year.

PurpleFistMixer · 12-09-2011 11:07pm

fh041205 wrote: »

It just depends whether you think studying the entire courses twice in two 4 months periods or once in an 8 month period will benefit you more. I prefer the latter. Having said that, I recommend anyone reading takes your advice ahead of mine since you actually did it.

If you think you have a chance to get schols then it's definitely worth it to try... Then again, I too am biased since I did get it, so obviously I think it's worth it.

fh041205 wrote: »

Huh thats weird, it took me ages to get used to LaTeX and even now I still look up stuff all the time. Different strokes I guess...

I look stuff up all the time as well, still, but if you just want to do your lab reports in LaTeX, it doesn't take terribly long to get the bare minimum down.

KarlD93 · 13-09-2011 3:20am

Could someone tell me in what building are the Physics SNIAM & Schrodinger Lecture Theatres. Thanks!

PurpleFistMixer · 13-09-2011 1:07pm

KarlD93 wrote: »

Could someone tell me in what building are the Physics SNIAM & Schrodinger Lecture Theatres. Thanks!

The Schrodinger Lecture Theatre is in the top floor of the Fitzgerald building. When you're walking to the Hamilton from the front of college (so going west to east), just after the cricket pitch, the big old looking building to your left is the Fitzgerald building (it has a little green garden infront of it with a few benches - we call this the Physics Garden). The first building after this on your left as you continue walking is the SNIAM building (it has lots of bike racks beside it). In there are your lab classes (first floor, if I recall correctly), and the SNIAM lecture theatre is in the basement of this building.

It will all become very apparent once you get there though!

Unisaur 64 · 13-09-2011 5:30pm

dabh wrote: »

At undergraduate level, the subject does not change much from year to year. The text below is quoted from the course description for first year analysis (course 121) in the academic year 2001-02, as taught by Prof. Trevor West:---

Textbooks
No text book will be followed slavishly. It is difficult (if not impossible) to learn this material from a text book for the very good reason that text books start with axiom systems whereas analysis (calculus) was discovered and used highly successfully long before axiom systems were developed.
For those who wish to see a text book the following may appeal (this is a highly personal matter).
W. Rudin Principles of Mathematical Analysis.

D.G. Bell An Introduction to Real Analysis.

M. Spivak Calculus.

There are literally, hundreds of similar texts on which the light never shines in the bowels of the library.
Oct 9, 2001

Thanks, Dabh

Maths and Theoretical Physics Course Thread TR031 TR035

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