Math subjects you hate - Like /sci/, but on KF

[Rack Of CDs]

Convention, more or less. In the sort of functions you graph in beginning algebra, there's typically one independent variable that you assign to the X-axis ("run") and one dependent variable that you assign to the Y-axis ("rise"), and the graph shows the relationship between them.

What helped me understand that it's merely a convention was also understanding that the hyper focus on Y as the defining direction in everything graph related was also a convention.

Sitting down with Desmos and realizing that Y=2x+1 is the exact same line as X=1/2y-1/2 and X=2y+1 is the same line as Y=1/2x-1/2.

When it comes to slope on X=1/2y-1/2, you can read it as "run over rise" and get the same slope as Y=2x+1 while viewing it as "rise over run".

 

[Some JERK]

Fluid Mechanics is basically black magic.

 

[Jarolleon]

More like a Middle-school thing in Asia -- and the West say their curricula are noting but cramming facts.

If a society criticises one of its own tendencies, it's probably because that tendency has fallen out of favour enough for it to be an acceptable target. If the consensus is that cramming facts is bad, we probably have about as much danger of being overly focused on fact-cramming as we do of the "Nazis" taking over.

Closer to the topic I'll second differential equations, mostly because I was bad at them and the only times they were ever useful in my other engineering courses were as explanation for formulae that were so general that they could just be memorised or committed to a formula sheet. I think half the point of teaching it was just to make engies appreciate mathematicians for doing so much of the smart work for them.

 

[WULULULULU]

Convolution and Laplace Equations. Whoever thought of these things can go fuck themselves in Pythagoras' ass.

 

[Whatevermancer]

Convolution and Laplace Equations. Whoever thought of these things can go fuck themselves in Pythagoras' ass.

Convolution is ok, but you mentioning Laplace Equations made me have a flashback to university, when we were tasked with calculating the laplacian on the surface of a 3d model using the finite element method. I read tons of acrticles on that, but still couldn't figure out how to do it.