# Math Help - where to begin?

1. ## where to begin?

hi,
let me start saying that this is a brilliant forum. i've seen tons of interesting stuff
i am a masters student studying business economics. i've always been highly fascinated by math, and quite gifted when compared to my average class-mate... wich is not much, as my courses never had much math content :x
the next year i will be able to choose a course (named something like "mathematics applied to management and finance", the course is taken in french) and i see it as a big personal challange i want to take.
the course is obliviously above my level and the teacher is not very kind but i am highly motivated. i would like to fill the gap with self-study

the problem is that i am not sure of what i should be looking at!

i will try to translate the contents of the course (in french ) so maybe you could help me making a list of what to look at:
Code:
1st and 2nd session:
real variable functions (quick review), solving the equation f(x) = 0  (numerical methods, application on Excel), multiple real variables functions.
cobb-douglas function, utility function

session 3, 4 and 5
optimization (with and without constraints). matrix calculations, simmetric matrix, hessien's matrix, lagrange's. (application on excel)
matrix of variance and co-variance, risk modeling of a portfolio.
article: reading and analyzing markowitz's "a portfolio selection"
article: reading and analyzing Stigler's "the adoption of the marginal utility theory"

session 6 and 7
integral calculus, multiple integrals
financial calcoulations with compounded rates

session 8
probabilities, the big laws of continuing probabilities, moments calculus

session 9 and 10
introduction to stochastic models. brownian movement
article: reading and analyzing Black & Scholes "the pricing of options and corporate liabilities"
what would be the contents list? could you build it as a tree? (i.e. algebra, pre-calculus, calculus, etc)

2. Originally Posted by starschild
hi,
let me start saying that this is a brilliant forum. i've seen tons of interesting stuff
i am a masters student studying business economics. i've always been highly fascinated by math, and quite gifted when compared to my average class-mate... wich is not much, as my courses never had much math content :x
the next year i will be able to choose a course (named something like "mathematics applied to management and finance", the course is taken in french) and i see it as a big personal challange i want to take.
the course is obliviously above my level and the teacher is not very kind but i am highly motivated. i would like to fill the gap with self-study

the problem is that i am not sure of what i should be looking at!

i will try to translate the contents of the course (in french ) so maybe you could help me making a list of what to look at:
Code:
1st and 2nd session:
real variable functions (quick review), solving the equation f(x) = 0  (numerical methods, application on Excel), multiple real variables functions.
cobb-douglas function, utility function

session 3, 4 and 5
optimization (with and without constraints). matrix calculations, simmetric matrix, hessien's matrix, lagrange's. (application on excel)
matrix of variance and co-variance, risk modeling of a portfolio.
article: reading and analyzing markowitz's "a portfolio selection"
article: reading and analyzing Stigler's "the adoption of the marginal utility theory"

session 6 and 7
integral calculus, multiple integrals
financial calcoulations with compounded rates

session 8
probabilities, the big laws of continuing probabilities, moments calculus

session 9 and 10
introduction to stochastic models. brownian movement
article: reading and analyzing Black & Scholes "the pricing of options and corporate liabilities"
what would be the contents list? could you build it as a tree? (i.e. algebra, pre-calculus, calculus, etc)
It looks to me like you would need Algebra through Calculus 3, maybe a little analysis. Probability and Statistics as well as some Linear Algebra. These are very broad topics though, I would recommend you cover only the areas you will need for your course. Of course you would have to get the basics down so you can understand. There are some topics I don't recognize however: Cobb-Douglas function, Utility function and some of the financial stuff. in any case, begin with the basics. make sure you are good in algebra and calculus at least