I hate Solving Polynomial Inequalities Analytically

[john]

OK I'm venting.  I hate the finite mathematics class I am in.  It just plain sucks.  The instructor gives us a take home quiz covering all kinds of algebraic problems to test our knowledge.  I don't know half the crap on the quiz.  My last college algebra class only touched upon some of the problems I had to do.  I feel cheated by my old school in a way.

So I had to teach myself about 1/2 a semester of college algebra in the last 2 days (such as solving polynomial inequalities, solving exponential equations using Ln and Logarithms, solving logatithmic equations).  And not cream puff problems but really complicated stuff.  I don;t know if this is to clear out the suckers or what, but I spent about 8 hours doing 20 problems (much of that time was studying web resources and also refreshing my memory on stuff I did learn).

Anyway in my travels I discovered a couple good web algebra pages: http://www.sosmath.com/algebra/algebra.html  and   http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm  I highly recommend them to the students on this board.  They really saved my bacon.

Seriously.  I am not a retard but this stuff is killing me.  I envy those who can pick up algebra easily.  Maybe I should become an art major....  [/vent off]

[Blueknyt]

could be worse, i never learned algebra, from almost failing Mathmatics in 7th grade, i did summer school every year taking math (by the way, i CANT STAND MATH but use it daily) by the time i arrived to 11th grade in 88/89 i had enough credits to not need to take it for 11th or 12th.  now, my wife has baby sat for some 10 - 12 years olds who's homework consists of algebra and i havent a clue on how to help or even check them. God i feel old.

[cernunos]

You sound like my Bebe, John. During her first and second Algebra/Trig classes she was having fits. We bought an easel and wipe-away board and I became her tutor. I think if the math applies then it should be taught, but if the major doesn't require higher level math then don't force students to stress over it. Bebe is one of the most intelligent logical people I know but she doesn't have the head for Pythagorean's theorem or the general quadratic equation to name a few simple ones. I have empathy for people who want to go into engineering but have no taste for math. My problem was always the history and chemistry classes. I have no memory whatsoever...what were we talking about? Oh, well, rode the White Owl yesterday...love her, and I love the baby G forum.

C.......

[VTNewb]

Hmm first day of classes is monday, first class is Finite Math. Time to favoriet some pages  

[cozy]

Yeah  Math is hard let's go shopping!
I hear ya man, you have to put the time in though. I've spent many lunch hours doing like 1 or 2 porblems. Iv'e spent even more time doing hard problems over to memorize the technique.
Cheer up, it's really good for your brain.  

[dgyver]

Sorry but I do not understand what the big deal is.  :dunno:

I have found algebra to be fairly easy. Calculus is a little more difficult.

[john]

x= . . .  . -b +_   ------------------
. . . . . . . . . . . \| b^2 - 4ac                     <----- quadratic formula
. . . . . .-------------------------------
                     2a

Sure it's easy if you know that's the formula you need to solve the equation (lets not forget sum of squares too). What had me all fudged up was trying to remember all those techniques that I forgot THEN learn a bunch of new stuff within 2 says.  It's over now.  Now I find out if I can hack this class.

[Hi-T]

Last semester I picked up on a TI-89.  It set me back a 160 bones but so fantastic!! Not only can you  program in notes so that you can study when you need to (wink wink) but it does most algebraic, trigonometric and calculus functions without blinking.  

So if all you need is an answer, this will give it to you.  If you need to show your work, you at least have the correct answer to start you down the road.

http://education.ti.com/us/product/tech/89/features/features.html

I was having a hard time with my last math class- It was a necessary evil but I was in no mood to blow $400 and have to retake the class- I attended every day, did my homework and in the end was looking for that little extra to get me pass the finish line... this did it.

[Roadstergal]

I minored in math, but I had an excellent department that prepared me well (Bryn Mawr's math department).  Linear was a struggle, but I loved Abstract - more of a logic class than a math class.  

[70 Cam Guy]

Last semester I picked up on a TI-89.  

None of my math teachers allowed us to use the 89.  I have a TI-86 and it helped me get through Calculus.  I never really had any trouble until we hit integration.  That really wasn't too tough but I only had to go through Calc 1.

[stephan]

Seriously.  I am not a retard but this stuff is killing me.  I envy those who can pick up algebra easily.  Maybe I should become an art major....  [/vent off]

Okay, funny thing is I am retarded so I did become an art major!!!!!   :lol:

Seriously, I took the bare minumum general education requirments to get me through college which consisted of college algebra which I kind of struggled with.  My wife on the other hand is a stinkin' algebra wiz.  However, give me some geometry and now we're talking!  

[john]

Last semester I picked up on a TI-89.  It set me back a 160 bones but so fantastic!! Not only can you  program in notes so that you can study when you need to (wink wink) but it does most algebraic, trigonometric and calculus functions without blinking.  

The TI-89 is not allowed in our class.  Apparently they have figured out that it had a cheat potential.  I bought a TI-84.  Don't know how much I'll use it but I have used it to double check some of my work and it seems to be able to calculate formulas pretty well.

[nl_carey]

I always found math much easier when I could directly appy it. The maths subjects I did for engineering sucked, but when I got to actually use the stuff in practical situations it was great.  In my University classes, I realised too late the real trick to doing maths was to simply work through all the practice exercises you can - repeatedly applying the knowledge is about the only way to drill it into yourself enough to be able to use it in exams etc.  Sometimes you'll just get a problem, and half way through, the techniques will click, and everything will be easy...
Stick with it, you won't use most of it, which seems like you're getting ripped off now, but it is actually a silver lining - think about how boring your life would be if you had to do this stuff every day! (no offense to actual maths researchers/students out there).

[AR5ENAL]

Math rocks...though I never had to take a math class in college.  I managed to finish AP Calculus in High School, so I left the fun world of mathematics far far behind.

My major is Linguistics...so I still use a little math whenever it helps with what I'm doing.  These days, it's mostly set theory and different types of logic (re: first order, weak monadic second order, etc.)...

[luksi]

It's an ego thing with some professors...evaluate their ego on the first day...if the prof even hints at being superior...switch classes...quick.  Trust your instincts.  If you can't switch...pump up your ego and make sure the Prof answers all your questions.  I took alot of abuse...but kept bugging "da man" to help me understand.

Sounds like you already figured out there are other ways to learn the stuff...make'em eat your dust!  

[geekonabike]

Since I happen to be a math professor, it is interesting to read the posts on polynomial inequalities, which are most important in calculus BTW.  FWIW I'm in it for the teaching, and left a research place because I thought I might make more difference at a teaching place.  Anyhow, if you are curious you can look at Chapter 3 of a calculus textbook I am working on.  The whole book is at http://faculty.swosu.edu/michael.dougherty/book/book.html
where you can find the PDF file for Chapter 3.  See book pages 182-190 (the viewer might have it 21-29).  Maybe it will make some sense to you.  If it does, tell your friends!

--Mike Dougherty
http://faculty.swosu.edu/michael.dougherty (needs updating!)

[luksi]

See, there are professors who care.
That's gotta make you feel better.
Just imagine trying to do this stuff with a slide rule & CRC manual.
:x

This forum is great....and so's the information highway!

[john]

See, there are professors who care.

Not all math professors are Vulcans you know.  I have always had good teachers.  My current professor seems like a nice guy but it constrained by the curricula.  Grading is done at a testing center so it's pretty nonpartisan.

[The Buddha]

Dammit... wish I was doing algebra now... Love it, love it, love it... love Geometry, love Trig... till it came to those Cos(a+b) type shaZam!.. .OK OK that's 90%... but still... love Calculus ( both diff and integration) Pretty much love all bacic sciences... physics, Chem etc... freaking hell hated engineering... empirical formulas and iterative approximations... who the hell thought of that. Wait it gets worse... civil engineering is the worst probably... all the soil related crap is total BS... not to mention there is that too in the soil... making for a lot of BS based jokes... Like this soil has a porosity of this, and voids ratio of this, and the cassagrande number is this... blah blah blah... and what soil is it... and the answer is BS... yeswe have tested it and that's what it is...
Cool.
Srinath.

[john]

Geekonabike is a pretty cool guy. Been talking to him though PM and I have to say that he isn't the usual strain of math professor. I wonder what the kids think of him riding a motorcycle to school?  That fact alone makes him unique.  Next thing you know he'll be offering rides to the girls when gets a new 2005 GSXR1000 :lol:  -just kidding


Srinath -  I actually have some experience with soil analysis.  Yes I can confirm that there is, in fact, a lot of bull shaZam! at my old residence.  About 23" of it.  The deep hole test confirmed it.  Surprisingly, the next 8' were all loamy sand.  This meant I saved about 2k because we didn't need to bring in fill for the new septic system :mrgreen:

You know, in general, there is a lot of bull shaZam! in the world isn't there?