Thread: numerical analysis?

I have to choose between taking numerical analysis and abstract algebra next semester. I'm leaning towards numerical. Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by Anonymous1

I have to choose between taking numerical analysis and abstract algebra next semester. I'm leaning towards numerical. Any suggestions?

I mean, how can you expect us to answer this for you? Personally, I have always been a fan of more abstract math and so I would pick algebra.

Just looking for suggestions and opinions.

I had numerical analysis for a while this semester but I dropped it. It's extremely boring, rather difficult, basically just approximations, and a crapload of work.

If you have enough time, try your hand at it, but be warned it'll keep you busy for quite some time every week. (Provided you have to hand in weekly assignments like I had to, of course.)

Personally I find numerical analysis to be rather boring. What are you more interested in? Pure maths or applications? Also, what will you be studying in your abstract algebra course?

In my opinion numerical analysis contains more than one 'secret keys' that opens You more than one 'door' of the 'top' Math... I wouldn't have any sort of doubt ...

Kind regards

Originally Posted by chisigma

In my opinion numerical analysis contains more than one 'secret keys' that opens You more than one 'door' of the 'top' Math... I wouldn't have any sort of doubt ...

Kind regards

You know what? On second thought, while I still stand by my opinion numerical does hold a lot of insight into upper level mathematics. Stuff like Bernstein polynomials come up in very deep theorems like the Stone-Weierstrass approximation theorem. Also, while being able to approximate is good, one of the chief niceties of numerical is to be able to have a nice little compact form where which is exact. Remember how many cool things you could prove when you learned that an time differentiable function could be represented as ?

I'm a current statistics major at a certain U.S. University. I'm interested in application to finance, which is why I am leaning towards numerical. I've done stuff like Monte Carlo in my stats classes and thought it was really interesting.

The algebra class is number theory. Integer-valued stuff, which I guess would provide some insight for cs application.

Originally Posted by Anonymous1

I'm a current statistics major at a certain U.S. University. I'm interested in application to finance, which is why I am leaning towards numerical. I've done stuff like Monte Carlo in my stats classes and thought it was really interesting.
The algebra class is number theory. Integer-valued stuff, which I guess would provide some insight for cs application.

In that case, go for numerical analysis.
Number theory will drive you crazy.

Originally Posted by Anonymous1

I'm a current statistics major at a certain U.S. University. I'm interested in application to finance, which is why I am leaning towards numerical.

Why would this even be a question then??

The algebra class is number theory. Integer-valued stuff, which I guess would provide some insight for cs application.

Abstract algebra is not number theory. Unless you mean that it is algebraic number theory in which case you must be to think that it's an option. No offense, but algebraic number theory is not like calculus.

Originally Posted by Drexel28

Why would this even be a question then??

They both fit, and I will probably take one in a later semester.

Originally Posted by Drexel28

Abstract algebra is not number theory. Unless you mean that it is algebraic number theory in which case you must be to think that it's an option. No offense, but algebraic number theory is not like calculus.

The class is called algebra and number theory.

Why say something offensive if you do not want to cause offense? If I'm considering numerical and algebra, you can probably assume I've taken a few classes past calculus.