MATH2962 vs MATH3068 (2 Viewers)

[ADrew]

Posting this here cause the Faculty of Science subforum is pretty dead. I was browsing through school of maths website, so what is the difference between MATH2962 and MATH3068 in terms of content?

 

[Carrotsticks]

Posting this here cause the Faculty of Science subforum is pretty dead. I was browsing through school of maths website, so what is the difference between MATH2962 and MATH3068 in terms of content?

MATH2962 is much much more precise in terms of its proof and much less 'user-friendly', if that makes sense, because of the strictness with formalities. Goes through a bit of topology, and very heavy with formal notation. Barely covers complex analysis but does go through the essentials such as the Residue Theorem, Contour integration etc.

MATH3068 is a lot more calculation-ish and a lot of the general concepts can be understood by a good 4U student straight out of high school. About 30% of the course is 1903 (convergence tests etc). Doesn't have many 'advanced problems', many of them are quite elementary in nature. Touches on other topics such as Fourier Series and Bernoulli Polynomials.

 

[Carrotsticks]

Though honestly, I think although 2962 is good in the sense of precision, 3068 is better in terms of 'showing cool things'.

 

[seanieg89]

'showing cool things'.

Well, waving your hands and pretending that you understand why random cool things are true.

 

[ADrew]

well, if i was to take analysis at some point which course would i be better off with? i did do 4 unit in the HSC, but im only doing normal maths units now.

 

[seanieg89]

well, if i was to take analysis at some point which course would i be better off with? i did do 4 unit in the HSC, but im only doing normal maths units now.

My advice would depend mostly on your reason for doing it, and on whether you plan on doing any maths beyond this course. If you want to learn analysis "properly", my answer is 100% 2962, it is a great starting point. If you ever intend on learning harder analysis, doing 3068 here is probably shooting yourself in the foot a bit.

Note: I am exaggerating a little, I don't mean to say that 3068 is a bad course or anything.

 

[Obvious]

Also, make sure you're seriously ready to commit to this course (edit: 2962) as it's unarguably one of the hardest subjects in second year science.

 

[ADrew]

well im most likely going to end up with a degree in maths, so im guessing 2962 is the way to go? What about the fact that theres more complex analysis in 3068?

 

[Carrotsticks]

well im most likely going to end up with a degree in maths, so im guessing 2962 is the way to go? What about the fact that theres more complex analysis in 3068?

There's not much at all really. If you wanted to do more complex analysis, you should be aiming for the actual Complex Analysis Adv. course, which is offered every 2 years iirc.

 

[seanieg89]

well im most likely going to end up with a degree in maths, so im guessing 2962 is the way to go? What about the fact that theres more complex analysis in 3068?

Depends how much you care about learning the way maths works. 2962 is undoubtedly harder, but sets you up with a really good foundation to learn more analysis later. 3068 might move faster through topics but you will get less acquainted with the key ideas in analysis that occur again and again. Personally I would choose 2962 every time but it is very much a matter of what you want to get out of it.

 

[seanieg89]

There's not much at all really. If you wanted to do more complex analysis, you should be aiming for the actual Complex Analysis Adv. course, which is offered every 2 years iirc.

Yeah this. Or read a book on it after taking 2962.

 

[funnytomato]

Florica FTW

 

[ADrew]

Thanks guys, ill probably take MATH2962.

 

[asianese]

Also Obvious isn't Algebra 2968 the hardest

 

[Obvious]

For a person who hasn't taken either subject I think that algebra would definitely be harder.

However, analysis does a pretty good job of teaching you how to handle the rigor and other difficulties of more advanced maths, making the experience of learning the two subjects about equal in terms of effort.

 

[asianese]

OK. Looking forward to math2962.

BTW obvious are you still needing your math2961 and 2962 readers ( I'll buy them if you don't need them anymore)? Ill probably want to so some reading over the summer.

 

[Obvious]

OK. Looking forward to math2962.

BTW obvious are you still needing your math2961 and 2962 readers ( I'll buy them if you don't need them anymore)? Ill probably want to so some reading over the summer.

I still use them fairly often so I can't sell them sorry :/

Get baby rudin or apostol from the library and study those, they'll teach you everything in 2962 and more.

 

[asianese]

No worries.

Thanks.

 

[seanieg89]

+1 for Baby Rudin for a first course in analysis.

And Herstein's Topics in Algebra would be excellent as an accompaniment to second year algebra.

 

[asianese]

Was procrastinating Discrete Maths study and bought Baby Rudin.