help please?

7 7 7

hi everyone, first time poster i heard this forum was very helpfull anyway i need a bit of a hand with something physics related, it may be a bit long but stick with me haha. ok so i started college in september i didnt like my course so about two and a half months in i changed to a physics course ( i loved physics for the leaving) but after transferring in so late i was very far behind and ended up dropping out as i could not risk failling my christmas exams, while i was in this course there was a programming and an engineering maths module both of which i found hard but i had a lot of trouble with the engineering maths, as i only did pass for the leaving cert, i want to go back and do physics again because i really find it very interesting and loved it in school but because of what happened me with the engineering maths last year im very worried about the maths this time around ( i wont be going to the same college) is there any physics course that does not have a lot of maths, now i know physics by nature will have a lot of maths but is there any courses that will have less maths than others or are they all really the same? im looking for anyones insight into this situation please, thanks!

Kevster

Don't fear any element of your potential new course. I'd argue that this fear is a consequwnce of what has happened previously - i.e. you are worried now that things will be too difficult and that you'll have to leave again. That is simply not the case if you are determined to succeeed. You really want to do Physics - yes? Maths is a very important part of it and you cannot get away from it.

I started my undergrad final year 3 months late but then went on to win student of the year for the second year in a row... ...go figure...

Kevin

ronaldoshaky

7 7 7 wrote: »

hi everyone, first time poster i heard this forum was very helpfull anyway i need a bit of a hand with something physics related, it may be a bit long but stick with me haha. ok so i started college in september i didnt like my course so about two and a half months in i changed to a physics course ( i loved physics for the leaving) but after transferring in so late i was very far behind and ended up dropping out as i could not risk failling my christmas exams, while i was in this course there was a programming and an engineering maths module both of which i found hard but i had a lot of trouble with the engineering maths, as i only did pass for the leaving cert, i want to go back and do physics again because i really find it very interesting and loved it in school but because of what happened me with the engineering maths last year im very worried about the maths this time around ( i wont be going to the same college) is there any physics course that does not have a lot of maths, now i know physics by nature will have a lot of maths but is there any courses that will have less maths than others or are they all really the same? im looking for anyones insight into this situation please, thanks!

The OU has good introductory courses on mathematics. I didnt do Physics when I was in University (because I was afraid of failing it) and regret it. I am studying Physics now part time and I really am getting to grips with it.

Just go for it!

thecornflake

From my experience first year maths is the hardest , once you come to grips with it, the rest falls into place. Just spend a half hour or so a day on it and it will click with you eventually.

Delphi91

If it's any consolation, I did pass maths for my LC and went on to do a science degree specialising in physics, maths, and computers. It is possible to do it.

entropic

I did engineering maths 1&2 in my first year of physics and I can tell you that it gets easier, and the same with computer programming, once you can programme in one language it gets easier in the others. Unfortunately no matter what physics you do you will need a strong grounding in differential calculus.

But if you go back to physics and are struggling with the maths or programming again ask about the colleges help system, I know UL has a fantastic Maths Learning Centre that you can just drop in with questions and a tutor will go over things, the same with the IT learning centre. I am sure that other colleges across Ireland offer these types of resources and if you go back then you should make full use of them.

Iderown

7 7 7,

See if you can persuade your college to subscribe to the HELM (Helping Engineers Learn Mathematics) materials.
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/helm/

It starts at a basic level and is well organised.

But, as others have said, your main resource will be the effort that you put into it.

Ádh mór ort.