My Mathematics Major: Pure, Applied or Statistics? (1 Viewer)

[Shadowdude]

Similar to another thread on another forum, I'd like to ask which general area of mathematics would be best - with the indirect effect of your advice, influencing my decision.

Now what I've heard so far, is pretty much summed up as:

- Pure: It's beautiful! But you won't be famous if you do it.
- Applied: It has real world applications! But it has emphasis also on computer stuff as well, and is not purely (no pun intended) mathematics
- Statistics: It pays well! But it's boring, and monotous, and tedious.

Anyoen care to add to the fray?

 

[Absolutezero]

An interesting way to look at it:

Pure: Looks to the future
Applied: Works with the present
Stat: Understands the past

These obviously aren't definitive, but they're worthy of consideration.

 

[moll.]

Pure. Why would you want to be famous? Famous people are the worst.
And doing pure mathematics proves you have a swollen brain/phallus, so you can learn/fuck better on the job.

 

[deterministic]

I wouldnt worry about choosing in first year as everyone does the same courses which cover most areas briefly. By that time youve done first year you should have a better idea of what you want to do. But pure mathematics is pretty cool though.

 

[Studentleader]

You do the same units in your first year for all 3.
Pure and Applied core units are the same for your second year (i.e. multivariate calculus and vector calculus.)

Pure:
Depending on your uni you could end up doing A LOT of stuff you don't want to do - UWA has A LOT of group theory and algebra which I find is really rank. Pure mathematics is the best major to do if you want to get into graduate programs in the US/UK.

If your university does not offer a sufficent amount of analysis units I wouldn't do pure mathematics - I'd say ANU is the best followed by USyd then UNSW/UMelb.

Applied:
Most applied units don't actually study real life systems or teach you anything you will use in the future - unless you learn a software package like MATLAB, Maple or Mathematicia. I find this more interesting than pure though its useless at an undergraduate level (apart from learning mathematicia) - Honours should be better. If you want to study applied mathematics you SHOULD DEFINATELY study computer science and learn C++ or FORTRAN77.

Statistics:
Depends on the university again - some universities use theortical packages like S+ or R though if you don't use SAS atleast once the program is shit (SAS Is probably all you will use in the real world.) Stats is the only way you will get a relevant job in maths without honours. Applied stats units are actually really interesting I find and stochastics is quite interesting. You will need some stats for applied maths.

EDIT: If you are doing a BSci you should do
1st year calculus
1st year stats/discrete maths
1st year programming
and whatever science you find interesting (I wouldn't do economics as that's very dull first year, accounting was ok though.)

 

[Aquawhite]

An interesting way to look at it:

Pure: Looks to the future
Applied: Works with the present
Stat: Understands the past

These obviously aren't definitive, but they're worthy of consideration.

...is just sexy. Choose pure mathematics as your major because these are the types of people who do like Chaos Maths and awesome kinda stuff; work for the US government and shit. Be like the guy from 'A Beautiful Mind'.

 

[Studentleader]

...is just sexy. Choose pure mathematics as your major because these are the types of people who do like Chaos Maths and awesome kinda stuff; work for the US government and shit. Be like the guy from 'A Beautiful Mind'.

or you just do applied and make 10x as much

 

[Shadowdude]

These are the times when I wish I could say: "I'M HARDCORE, I'LL DO ALL THREE!"


Anyway, I should probably take a better look at the handbooks then. Though analysis units are for applied, correct studentleader? And what do you learn then in Applied units?

Though I did hear of one uni lecturer was like "Stats isn't like stupid probability and all that", at the Sydney open day. I thought that was an interesting insight.


Still, whatever maths thing I do - I'll still get lots of money... right? I assume that's why it's a national priority...

 

[Aquawhite]

These are the times when I wish I could say: "I'M HARDCORE, I'LL DO ALL THREE!"


Anyway, I should probably take a better look at the handbooks then. Though analysis units are for applied, correct studentleader? And what do you learn then in Applied units?

Though I did hear of one uni lecturer was like "Stats isn't like stupid probability and all that", at the Sydney open day. I thought that was an interesting insight.


Still, whatever maths thing I do - I'll still get lots of money... right? I assume that's why it's a national priority...

It's national priority because no-one wants to take mathematics in Australia, most are taking things that use maths, but no-one's really taking the raw degree itself; which, of course, we need some people researching in that field. I have no idea where you'd end up being employed, so it would depend on that for what you're paid.

 

[deterministic]

In particular, maths is national priority in order to encourage people to pursue teaching high school mathematics as a career, where australia has a shortage of. National priority means that maths courses cost less than other courses, it doesnt mean that you will earn a lot (high school maths teachers earn a lot less than say accountants on average). In order to earn a lot with a mathematics degree (with honours), you probably have to work in an investment bank.

 

[Trebla]

Unfortunately high school statistics is in no way indicative of tertiary level statistics. Statistics is by no means boring. I found high school statistics very boring but when I did statistics at uni, it was much more interesting because it brings together a bit of pure mathematics (e.g. pure probability distribution theory) and applied mathematics (e.g. regression modelling) in the mix. I ended up doing Financial Mathematics because there are elements of pure/applied mathematics within it as well as a large section of statistics in the form of stochastic calculus plus it has good prospects career wise.

 

[Absolutezero]

Unfortunately high school statistics is in no way indicative of tertiary level statistics. Statistics is by no means boring. I found high school statistics very boring but when I did statistics at uni, it was much more interesting because it brings together a bit of pure mathematics (e.g. pure probability distribution theory) and applied mathematics (e.g. regression modelling) in the mix. I ended up doing Financial Mathematics because there are elements of pure/applied mathematics within it as well as a large section of statistics in the form of stochastic calculus plus it has good prospects career wise.

Really? A few of my friends have done STAT subjects, and none of them enjoyed it at all.

I've got to do it sometime this year.

 

[mitchy_boy]

Which uni are you planning on studying at Shadowdude? And which degree?

 

[Trebla]

Really? A few of my friends have done STAT subjects, and none of them enjoyed it at all.

I've got to do it sometime this year.

Depends on which branch of statistics you do. Probability models for example is very mathematical and analytical as it involves aspects such as set theory, convergence theorems, double integrals, partial derivatives etc and stochastic calculus involves odes/pdes, integration, Taylor series etc. Stuff such as hypothesis testing on the other hand is more about number crunching...

 

[deterministic]

Depends on which branch of statistics you do. Probability models for example is very mathematical and analytical as it involves aspects such as set theory, convergence theorems, double integrals, partial derivatives etc and stochastic calculus involves odes/pdes, integration, Taylor series etc. Stuff such as hypothesis testing on the other hand is more about number crunching...

+1. Statistics courses under a maths faculty are often quite theoretical and interesting, while statistics courses under a non math faculty (eg. commerce and engineering usually have some sort of statistics course) are rather boring and usually just involve number crunching. A good example of this is hypothesis testing. In the introductory commerce course, you are told given methods of hypothesis testing and you just use it with little justification. In a maths course, you are able to explore different methods of it, and more importantly, the rationale and theoretical justification behind each method.

 

[Shadowdude]

Which uni are you planning on studying at Shadowdude? And which degree?

Sydney, B Sc (Advanced Maths) hopefully - if not, B Sc (Advanced) - or the first one at UNSW. Still unsure on the order.



Well, I'd like to say this thread has been quite confusing for me because it adds more to the fray - but that's a good thing. At least I'll be making a more informed decision.

So no stat courses in a non-maths faculty, gotcha!

And I'm not sure if I could handle teaching maths. It's the teaching element that worries me - like interaction with kids, what if they don't like me? =( =P

 

[Aquawhite]

Teach at university? They don't have to like you, let alone turn up to class.

 

[Shadowdude]

Oh I thought you meant high school kids. Like what if I got assigned to a General Maths class...

/me shudders


I'd have fun subtlely mocking those who fit into the derp derp stereotype though. Maybe.

 

[deterministic]

You dont have to teach high school kids if you dont want to lol. I only said national priority encourages people to pursue teaching, it doesnt mean they have to do it. One could use a maths degree for many career opportunities.

 

[moll.]

Teach advanced math theory to primary schoolers.