From Newsgroup: comp.theory
It's been a few decades since college. Studied applied mathematics and statistics. I always thought the Calculus would always be something I'd remember. After all, my college fees were paid from monies earned from
tutoring all levels of lower division mathematics. I was quickly proven
wrong when watching a video on youtube and couldn't recognize the
techniques being employed on it.
I thought, uh oh.
As I approach retirement age, my plans have been to get back into the
academic saddle and earn my Ph.D. in astrophysics. Another grim reminder
of my forgetfullness in the basics, it was complete obliviousness when I
saw some preliminary math in a book about stellar interiors. It is an
early chapter that goes over some basics first. Uh oh.
"Time to review the calculus," I immediately said. I saved all my math textbooks from college, from calcululs on. So, I cracked open that heavy
book. Side note, I'll never forget how heavy my book bag was when taking calculus and physics and the long walk from the parking lot. As luck
would have it, my old city college built parking garages just after I
moved to University. And my University did the same, initiating
construction as I was finishing. Isn't that a kick in the pants?
The earlier chapters are easy enough and familiar. But wow, it has been
so long that I almost forgot how beautiful and elegant the Calculus
is. I'm falling in love again.
Found out the old TI-89 is no longer being made. That was the calculator
of choice in my day. The TI-83 was the poor man's calculator, but now it appears to have grown up.
I will get my familiarity back and retake the lower division physics
next semester and have fun wearing a lab coat again. That's three
semesters attending class with teens and twenty-somethings. Uuuuugh.
Must relearn the periodic table of elements too.
Daniel
sysop | air & wave bbs
finger |
calcmandan@bbs.erb.pw
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