useful maths to learn, not academically

kumate_champ07 · 09-01-2014 07:50PM #1

as an adult I find it easier to learn most of the time if the subject interests me, what would be some good stuff to read up on that may be useful in general problem solving or anything for that matter?

from leaving cert level upwards( I zoned out for all of 6th year and did cramming sessions the night before both papers to pass, but cant remember the stuff now!)

kumate_champ07 · 09-01-2014 07:51PM

maybe a book I could get locally in Easons, advanced but well explained 'visually'

dpofloinn · 09-01-2014 07:52PM

Geometry we all use it every day wether we realise it or not and Stats and Probability is always interesting

TheBody · 09-01-2014 08:25PM

dpofloinn wrote: »

Geometry we all use it every day wether we realise it or not and Stats and Probability is always interesting

Geometry is a good idea. Some number theory could be good too.

I have to disagree on the Stats and probabilty bit. I can't think of anything less interesting!!

bnt · 09-01-2014 08:36PM

I also find I learn more when trying to solve a problem, and I've tried some of these in the past:

If you're in to music, you can learn some of the maths behind that e.g. harmonic intervals, and so on. (e.g. Major Fifth = 3:2.) Many musical instruments use the Equal Temperament (ET) scale: calculating the frequencies of the notes requires the use of exponents, or logarithms in reverse. Compare ET with perfect harmonic intervals, and find yourself wondering just who figured all this out.

Another one is to calculate the distance to the horizon, if you're standing e.g. at sea level or on top of a cliff. It really helps to draw a picture. Hint: a tangent to a circle meets the radius at a right angle.

If you've seen the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, you'll have seen the way the space station was spinning to generate "artificial gravity". There's a simple formula for how to calculate the rate of rotation needed to generate 1G of artificial gravity (g = ω²r) - but to use it properly you need to understand concepts such as the Radian, so you can use the correct units so that the formula works.

humbert · 10-01-2014 01:29AM

You say not academically but maths, while having a reputation for being highly academical, is also the most practical in terms of applied logic.

If that view tempts you at all then I'd suggest Halmos's Naive Set Theory. It convinced me that literally everything could be understood in terms of maths.

evolving_doors · 11-01-2014 12:05AM

bnt wrote: »

I also find I learn more when trying to solve a problem, and I've tried some of these in the past:

If you're in to music, you can learn some of the maths behind that e.g. harmonic intervals, and so on. (e.g. Major Fifth = 3:2.) Many musical instruments use the Equal Temperament (ET) scale: calculating the frequencies of the notes requires the use of exponents, or logarithms in reverse. Compare ET with perfect harmonic intervals, and find yourself wondering just who figured all this out.

.....[].

I heard that Twas the bossman Pythagoras who figured it out... Back in the day they also thought that the distances/ratio between planets also emitted a sound!! Music of the spheres and all that nonsense...Although ...some planets are supposed to emit a 'sound' but this is due to magnetic forces and charged particles... here's jupiter's latest hit HERE

Howard Goodall has a lengthy documentary on Equal Temperament.. (His beatles documentary is much better though!)

useful maths to learn, not academically

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