caedar Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 This is my first year in a Materials Science & Engineering program. Overall I'm having a decent time getting situated in my work, adjusting to graduate life, and tackling different parts of projects that my lab is focused on in an effort to nail down a good thesis topic. However, my first semester and a half has exposed a glaring flaw in my knowledge: the ability to understand and manipulate complicated mathematical equations. (Differential equations, mostly, but also having a few problems understanding some of the formalities of integrals and how they can be manipulated.) I have no problems understanding most of the material in my field, and most of the time reading recent research isn't hazardous. However, there are times where I feel completely dumbfounded with some of the math concepts. To combat this, over the summer I'd like to spend a lot of time working on these skills. What are some excellent sources on engineering-oriented mathematics, whether books or online sources? I was considering getting "Essential Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences" when it's published in the US and using some of the lectures on Academic Earth, but I would love to hear what other peoples' opinions are. Fire away!
whit Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 How about a summer course at you univ. or one nearby?
caedar Posted February 22, 2011 Author Posted February 22, 2011 How about a summer course at you univ. or one nearby? Unfortunately all of the courses aimed at scientists/engineers are not offered during the summertime, and my university is fairly isolated so I would not be able to take one at another university.
geochic Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 I know EXACTLY how you feel. I've never even had Diff EQ or Calc 3 (so no partial differentials and can I just say YIKES.) I really didn't get a whole lot out of Calc 2 either (I had just had a baby and was writing my undergrad thesis amongst a bazillion other things) so I've needed "for dummies" type books for the groundwater modeling class I'm taking this semester. So far I can recommend a few resources. I'm regularly (furiously) flipping through my copy of Partial Differential Equations for Scientist and Engineers (Stanley Farlow) -Part of the Dover Books on Mathematics Series and bought my copy on the cheap from Amazon. Great for LaPlace transforms and approaches to non-steady state multi-dimensional problems. Also Paul's Online Math Notes is a great resource. (http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/) This guy has produced a collection of videos that really helped me with some of the concepts from calc 2 (particularly power series). Haven't looked at it in a couple of years. I did a quick search and he appears to have changed his site but I'm sure he's still concise and effective (http://patrickjmt.com/) An oldie but goodie for calc concepts (available as a pdf from google books) is Calculus Made Easy (Silvanus Thompson.) You can download it here (http://books.google.com/books?id=BrhBAAAAYAAJ&dq=calculus%20made%20easy&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false) Great refresher for me! Good Luck! I have my first groundwater exam next week and I'm praying that I can pass. I did not know that I was signing up for a flow theory class (I thought it would be more model application and contaminant transport modeling.) Thank goodness we're currently discussing finite difference approximations which are a bit easier for me to grasp . Most of the time I want to cry when I leave the class and I'm sure I usually look like a deer in headlights during the lectures. So long point short, you are not alone.
Eigen Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 Mathematical Methods for Scientists and Engineers by McQuarrie is what I used when I reviewed for my first semester Quantum Mechanics course- it's well written, simple, and covers pretty much everything.
hubris Posted February 24, 2011 Posted February 24, 2011 Drill and skill (on the cheap) : Schaum's outlines will have plenty of what you are looking for.
eat.climb.love Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 I have seen this book before: http://www.amazon.com/Mathematics-Engineers-Problem-Solver-Solvers/dp/0878918388/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1298756061&sr=8-12 They also make a bunch of other math/engineering books. You can find them cheap on e-bay or Amazon.
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