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After getting a degree in Engineering Physics in which i did enough rigorous Mathematics and Calculus was one of my strong areas. Yet, one of my biggest concern during and after school was a real application of calculus... (apart from our usual minimum and maximum...which is only understood on a graph).
One of my classic examples is that; how do i convert a real life problem into calculus and then write a C++ code to solve it.
I was expecially interested in differentiation than integration. Since i knew i can use integration to find the volume of an object if i know the equation surrounding it.

But differentiation seams to be more enigmatic ...
...now that i am doing Grad level work...for the first time it seams i am beggining to understand it

Sometimes the so-called dY(x)/dx is simply gotten by doing
dY(x1)/dx = Y(x1) - Y(x0). and dY(x2)/dx = Y(x2) - Y(x1)
Just simple differencing...and thats all!
My problem now is that if differentiation was simply a minus b....why dem no quickly tell us!

i am sure others have some better practical implementation of this, i would appreciate corrections, clarification and contributions!

Thanks

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Fowe.
Choices make or mar Chances ... add extra care to your choices today.

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More twisted than dreadlocks

hmmm Fowe, X2X

i await the real life application cum real examples...it would be magical

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No limits, No boundaries...a change agent!

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Fowe.
Choices make or mar Chances ... add extra care to your choices today.

_________________
No limits, No boundaries...a change agent!

Okay, today is friday so I can post a bit.

Since you are looking for real life applications, I figured I'd tell you a real life story first - it happened to me.

When we were in 4th year in uni, a Prof was teaching us Engineering Mathematics, and the topic was on Integral Calculus of Complex Variables - Gawd! That was the most abstract, brain racking stuff on the planet.

All of us wore long, resigned looks, staring vacuously at the Prof. I remember wishing that we were in Primary school, where they would "ring bell" to notify the prof that his period was over. All of a sudden my classmate (who couldnt bear it anymore) stood up, frowning his face, asked the prof - "han han, what do we need all this things for"?

The prof, visibly disappointed, stopped and stared at all off us. He couldnt say a word, he was so disappointed in us. He just kept on shaking his head (as if to say "I pity you boys"). Then all of a sudden his mobile phone rang, and it appeared to cure his dumbness - he shouted - "Yes! That is the application. That is why you need all these theorems".

I didnt get it, I had to ask him - "Prof, what . . . what do you mean sir?" And his reply was - "It is because of all these theorems that we can have a mobile phone!"

That was the day my friends concluded that there will never be a Nigerian made mobile phone, because there is no way we would understand all those theorems. Some boys just pack their books and walked out of the class.

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More twisted than dreadlocks

very funny...i think ignorance they worry all of us for school.
they wld be teaching us solid stuffs....we wld be saying how does it turn to money!
Until we value the engineering and mathematics knowledge we have in Nigeria we would continue to do our usual 'cara ca ta technology'
we simply cannot make anything!
....if you know the number of differential equations wey don lost for inside the wireless signals in your cell phones!?

anyway...

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Fowe.
Choices make or mar Chances ... add extra care to your choices today.

_________________
Fowe.
Choices make or mar Chances ... add extra care to your choices today.

bros..pls am interested in the application...towards stock market..wateva

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In Life's Pursuits, Never Outrun God [Prov. 19:21]
1luv...

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No limits, No boundaries...a change agent!

One application that comes to mind which I encounter daily on the job is in the tunning of controllers used in industrial controls applications.

There is what is called a PID (Proportional, Integral and Derivative) controller. Each of these characteristics is used in tuning/adjusting the characteristics of the device (hardware) which is responsible for controlling temperature, pressure, flow and a host of other parameters in the industries.

Also, in the area of data acuisition where RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) are deployed in the field to gather in data from wide geographical areas. The concept of "sampling" which is powered by calculus makes the division and reassembling of analog signals possible. This gives us the digital signals which is easier for us to deal with than the analog signals.

Nature is analog. Humans find it difficult relating with analog systems. But Calculus has made it easy for us by helping us to derive precise/discrete meanings from analog signals.

In the analysis of oil wells reserviours, calculus plays a major role as nobody ever goes into the reserviour. Devices are used to generate signals which is reflected by the earth. Calculus is then used to analyse the reflected signals and presto! we know if we have oil there or not. A decision on which we might stake $billions of dollars. All based on the integrity of calculus!

Calculus also have a host of other practical uses that if our professors could just make it plain for us at school, nobody will want to be without the knowledge of calculus.

Probably, our professors only knows the math not the application. Just thinking aloud!

I still flip through my Stroud every now and then. Infact, I have it installed on my pc.

I strongly recommend it.

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A doubtful man is unstable in all his ways!

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More twisted than dreadlocks

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More twisted than dreadlocks

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More twisted than dreadlocks

This video should enhance this topic:



a friend of mine in the US who finished with a degree in mechanical engineering in Nigeria used to say that he learnt nothing in is his undergraduate in Nigeria, that he his just getting real education now in the US on his masters program.
But i always attack him otherwise that even though my undergraduate experience wasnt a perfect education. I still learnt a lot and infact i knew a lot that helped me jump start during my masters program in the US. I had a degree in Engineering Physics in Nigeria.., even though them no get X-ray tube show me, atleast they taught me enough Maths and Mathematical physics that can make me catch up with graduate level engineering program anywhere in the world. This MIT video buttress my point, its an undergrdaute class on 1st order diff equations, and i think i know one or two things they talking there, and YES! i was taight in my Nigerian University! not america.
in summary... fine we ve poor education in Nigeria, never the less lets appreciate the little we have

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Fowe.
Choices make or mar Chances ... add extra care to your choices today.

It is high time they made Further Maths compulsory for all secondary school students in Nigeria. We can learn from the Asians.

Concerning application, we should not blame our professors. They are okay but the system. Let's take solace in the fact that we can alaways dust them anytime we are in any of these techy grad schools in America and Europe.

Hey! you guys don talk plenty ooo. Is better we start thinking about the application of this calculus of a thing. Sebi we can now bring out our devices, take a picture and zoom in and out and do all kind of thing without understanding the algorithm and mathematics behind it. Fowe please help us brake the thing down so that we start thinking past the fence of scoring "As" in calculus.

Mathematics is supposed to be an engineering tool but the reverse is the case in Nigeria universities, engineering has been completely turned to mathematical prowess exhibition with no focus on solving real life (engineering) problems.
In as much as I agreed with Fowe and X-2-X, most of the mathematical concepts such as complex number, calculus etc were developed to solve certain engineering problems.
I advise, the course facilitators should ginger student's interest by telling them how such mathematical concepts evolved, their application in solving previous engineering problems and challenges as well as their relevance in today's world.
Anything otherwise, will surely not fly with most students (except for few guys like Fowe and X-2-X )

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If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today .
......Mike Bertola.