Let's get serious here. What are the chances of using Calculus in real world engineering problems?

Hoeboy

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Apr 20, 2000
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I just took another test today in 2nd year calc course. There were 10 problems, 1 page each, and 2 hours. I ran out of room on some problems and I didn't have time to go back and double check or finish 1-2 problems. This is B.S. I'm a civil engineering major and let's get real here. How many of us engineering majors will really apply all this techniques of integration crap and etc. in real life? I put my money on nada.
 

PsychoAndy

Lifer
Dec 31, 2000
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actually a relative of mine, second cousin or so, is a structural engineer. he tells me he uses calculus on just about every job he gets hired on.
 

Capn

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Jun 27, 2000
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it depends on what you do. Engineering is such a wide field.
 

surd615

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Feb 29, 2000
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In my first job after graduating from engineering school in 1983, the first project I got was to implement the convolution integral in hardware. This was part of the DSP section for a CT scanner that we were designing. Subsequently, I also implemented Fourier transforms in hardware.
 

Hoeboy

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Apr 20, 2000
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for EE and CE i assume u would use a lot of math but probably something higher than calculus. for other engineering such as civil engineering and structural engineering, i heard you never use calc, just mainly physics. i mean even if you do use calc, would you use it to the extent of what we are being taught in 3 years of calculus?
 

datalink7

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
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What about CS? I am going to have to take a bunch of Calc (I just started freshman year of CS), but how much is actually used in programming?
 

ApacheXMD

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Oct 9, 1999
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all engineering requires a firm understanding of calculus.

civil engineering and structural engineering, i heard you never use calc, just mainly physics

and i suppose physics has nothing to do with calculus. :confused:

-patchy
 

The Dancing Peacock

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Dec 22, 1999
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my brother is EE, and he uses it all the time. I have a friend who's civil engineering, and he uses it all the time. You don't use it all, but you needed to know the stuff you don't use, so that you could understand what you do use.


late.

TDP
 

Hoeboy

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Apr 20, 2000
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<<and i suppose physics has nothing to do with calculus. >>

yes you use calc for physics but just basic first year calc stuff.