Electronics > Beginners

Maths in Engineering

<< < (6/12) > >>

Johnwicc:

--- Quote from: james_s on December 29, 2019, 06:19:03 pm ---I suck at math and I found most of that test to be very easy, I really hate to deliver bad news but I think you will really be struggling if you jump into an engineering program right now. Can you afford a private tutor? Are you self motivated? If the latter you could study intensely for a year on Khan Academy or take some classes elsewhere. You should be able to pretty much ace that exam you posted without too much trouble. You will certainly encounter much, much more advanced math on the way to a 4 year engineering degree.

--- End quote ---

Yes I'm self motivated to lean about circuits that make hardware work, but maths is my downfall. If I apply for a scholarship, I could get a tutor.

BTW the degree that I want to do is 3 years. And I have already aceped the offer, but I can pull out at any time I think before the census date

Do u think I would be able to handle the foundation maths class? https://www.griffith.edu.au/study/courses/foundation-mathematics-1017SCG#trimester-1-gold-coast-campus.

Rick Law:
I am with those who have been saying "go for it."  If the college already accepted you, it is the college telling you they think you can and they are giving you a go at it.  If there is any chance at all that you can push yourself to the finish line.  Go for it.  Every year you managed to finish is a strip earned.  If you finished with a degree, well, that is a mission accomplished.

You pointed to your math issues.  In my view, there are two distinct kind of "math-confidence" problems.  First is those who really can do it found it too intimidating.  Second is those who is bad at abstraction.

Solving the confidence problem is easy if you are of the first kind.  Just doing it until you are comfortable with it will overcome the problem.

Solving the second kind is a good bid harder.  One has to figure out if the lacking in abstraction is because of poor math foundation, or because of the mind not used to thinking in abstract terms.

Get an SAT practice test, do it - and apply all the applicable limits to the test (such as time limit, no calculators, etc.).  Do it with the intend of getting the best score you can.  Immediately after you finish, think about how you felt.   You may be able to identify your weakness and work on it.
Here is an SAT practice you can start with (and I am sure there are many others):
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice/full-length-practice-tests

From my experience as math tutor and as a TA when I was a graduation student (in Physics): Abstraction typically is the most likely problem that held students back.  Let me spend a moment on abstraction.  At the first year, you need merely algebra level of abstraction.  There is plenty of time during year 1 to get yourself in shape math-wise to be able to deal with year 2.  After that, you are on even rougher grounds but you would be experienced enough to handle it.  You probably have been doing abstractive thinking and you just didn't know it.  For example, when you watch a movie, you might have thought: "I wouldn't do it if I was her, instead I would have..."  That is thinking in abstract.  Anyone who have had fantasies was having a good moment living in abstraction.

Go for it, and make it count.

My best wishes to you - I hope you succeed in your pursuit of your goal.

coppice:

--- Quote from: Rick Law on December 30, 2019, 07:07:47 am ---I am with those who have been saying "go for it."  If the college already accepted you, it is the college telling you they think you can and they are giving you a go at it.

--- End quote ---
That's a very naive view. In much of the world colleges will accept practically anyone, and expect a huge drop out rate at the end of the first year.

james_s:
I'm very hesitant to tell anyone to do anything in the realm of not trying or giving up, but I hate to see someone dump a bunch of money into something and then fail.

I'd say if it's something that one is interested in doing, do what it takes to make it happen, but that test is very, very easy compared to what will be encountered earning an engineering degree. One can go through a whole career designing hardware without ever using math beyond basic algebra (which you will use constantly) but you still have to learn the more advanced math to get through school.

Then as someone else mentioned, the logic/deductive reasoning thing. This is something that cannot be escaped, it is one of the core parts of engineering and one simply has to be proficient at it.

nigelwright7557:
In 1980 I did 3 maths tests to get on a TOPS (training opportunities course) in industrial electronics.
The first two were just simple adding/subtracting/multiplying and division.
The third was probably up to about GCSE level general maths.
I failed the first time but not by much so I went away and studied what I couldn't do in the test.
I passed the next time and got on the course.
When I started the course on the first day we were given another maths test !
I failed it and along with a few others had to do extra maths lessons alongside the electronics theory.
I quickly caught up. We had to do weekly tests on what we had learned to make sure we were coping with the course.
To start with I wasnt doing very well.
Then things started to fall into place and I started getting regular 100%'s.

I guess what that taught me is if you cant do it to start with if you work hard and don't give up you can get up to speed.

Electronics is very maths heavy. If the basic maths skills aren't there you will struggle badly.

One of my part time jobs now is maths tutoring...….



Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page

There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod