Started an Astro-Physics course - any mathematicians here?

[ByronBlack]

So, after years of farking about trying to decide what to do - I have been forced to make a decision (due to the time to register), and have signed on at the OU for an astro physics degree course that starts in a couple of weeks.

My maths however is relatively weak, and I won't get an answer from the OU until I speak to a tutor at the end of the may when the course starts, so I was wondering if we have any resident maths proficient people here who could recommend a book/website or any other resource to help fill in the blanks as I haven't done any real maths since I was at school 15 years ago.

 

[miles_hot]

I'll have a dig around to see if I have the names of the maths books I used when I did year 1 of the Birmingham Physics degree (though that was some time ago).

I have to say that the maths was a lot harder than the physics and the year 1 maths students were beggar all use as we were covering maths degree year 2 stuff (as they spend time proving that 2+2 = 4 etc).

Birmingham was a centre for high energy and quantum physics so common sense very quickly went out of the window so that might have had something to do with the relative hardness of the maths element.

Astrophysics is pretty cool stuff - you'll have a blast I suspect.

Miles

 

[ByronBlack]

Hi Miles,

I'd appreciate any titles that you come up with - i've downloaded some real basic dummies guide and the like, but while I do the level 1 intro course which is mostly physics and no maths I plan to brush up on my scientific notation and physic specific maths to give me a bit of a boost by the time the larger 30 and 60 point math modules come around.

I'm very excited to get started, I've been umming and arring for the best of 5 years, each time I decide to start, there are no courses for a further 9 months or a year, and by that time I've either forgotten or convinced myself out of it, but this time I've had to hurry to make the deadline, so have not had chance to talk myself out of it.

The OU course has a specific modules on exo planets and the search for habitable bodies which is what really gets me interested, should be fun.

 

[StevieB]

Not a maths genius by any means but most maths queries asked on here tend to get answered eventually either through knowledge of members or google :wink: Give us an idea of what the maths modules might involve and perhaps we can help. I am a scientist and use stats quite alot, but in specific areas and applications which may or may not be useful.

Steve

 

[big soft moose]

my mother is a physics teacher - up to A level , so i'll ask her watch she suggests and get back to you

 

[ByronBlack]

Hi Steve,

At the moment, until I get further detail back from the OU i'm a little in the dark about what exactly is going to be involved, but one of the maths modules requires:

arithmetic and geometric sequences, lines and circles, and functions such as x2, sin x, cos x and ex

Continuous models covers calculus and introduces the process of differentiation

Modelling uncertainty is about probability and statistics.

It also mentions vectors, and various other things.. all over my head at the moment! :shock:

All I know at the moment is pretty rudimentary arithmatic and some computer-programming specific stuff (algorithms, base conversion etc.).

If you're interested, heres the link to the path that I'll probably by following (apart for level 1 - i'll be doing more astro physical specific modules instead of their giant 60 point all encompassing science module).

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/routes/b27-2.htm

BSM - That'll be great, thanks!

 

[wizer]

What's the end goal for this then BB? What is it you want to do with the degree?

 

[xy mosian]

The OU course has a specific modules on exo planets and the search for habitable bodies which is what really gets me interested, should be fun.

Byron well done enjoy it!

By the way if you happen to find any spare habitable bodies, do let me know. This one is getting a bit old, wrinkly and unreliable

xy

 

[ByronBlack]

What's the end goal for this then BB? What is it you want to do with the degree?

The first goal is to complete the certificate (60points at Level 2) without my head exploding followed by the diploma - and then the degree (thinking in baby steps) - but as long I am actually capable of learning this stuff, the ultimate goal is to continue onto post grad study and try and get a place on a research project. Failing that, I'll use the knowledge for a writing career.

 

[ByronBlack]

The OU course has a specific modules on exo planets and the search for habitable bodies which is what really gets me interested, should be fun.

Byron well done enjoy it!

By the way if you happen to find any spare habitable bodies, do let me know. This one is getting a bit old, wrinkly and unreliable

xy

Haha, well naturally, I'm going to snag the first one for myself, but i'll add you to next in the line

 

[BMac]

Byron,

This is super. Returning to education is a courageous move but supremely rewarding. I spent many years teaching Maths in an FE college and mostly to adults who were doing a university Access Course.

A useful site for a good, overall, look at the areas you might need to concentrate on initially is the BBC Bitesize Revision guides:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/

If you search for revision or tuition guides there are loads of sites. It is basically a matter of trying some for size and deciding which format you like best.

I wish you every success.

Brendan

 

[blurk99]

i had a great maths book when i was on my physical chemistry course - it was recommended by a maths student and i always really appreciated the well worked examples - it's called 'Engineering Mathematics' but the author escapes me (it's not Stroud, the first one you find on amazon) i'll have a look at work tomorrow, and for stats i always got on well with 'Statistics for Life Sciences' (Samuels/Witmer) though all the examples are as you would expect working toward medicine, that book always explained clearly though which stat tests were inappropriate to use based on the data types (the commonest mistake is using the wrong analysis model that proves a worthless point)

jim

i'll get back with the other book tomorrow - should be cheap enough to pick up used on amazon

 

[gidon]

Miles
What year were you at Birmingham Uni? I studied Physics there too - 1991-1994!
BB I've still got my maths books - in fact all my books. I'll try and dig them out if Miles doesn't before me. But I'd start looking at some A Level books to be honest if you've not done maths for that long.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[barkwindjammer]

If it takes 2 men 1 day (3 and a half hours) to dig a hole 4 foot square and 2 foot deep, how many hours would it take for 1 man to dig half a hole ?

 

[StarGazer]

Hi BB,

MY first (and second) degrees were in astrophysics, still playing with it over 25 years later....my father said it would never lead to a career!
My degrees were St Andrews and Durham not the OU, but my father followed his interest in amateur astronomy by taking what was then M101 ans s101, general science and maths foundation courses followed by basic astronomy course, this was about 20 years ago so the courses have changed somewhat. He borrowed my first year books for background but most of the stuff he used most were the provided notes.

I used to get the answers to tutorial questions that my father had completed to check for obvious mistakes, but as I had to do these without the detailed notes he used it was often quite tricky as I would sometimes go off on completely the wrong track!

Any questions please ask!

 

[StevieB]

Plenty of encouraging replies already - you will have no trouble :wink: Most of the OU stuff you describe comes under the nominal heading of 'pure maths' rather than statistics (at least it was called pure maths when I did it, not sure about now). Good on you for giving it a go - I am sure I remember a thread about this from a long time ago and discussing with someone about careers in research - have you been considering this for a loooong while?

Absolute best of luck with it, take it steady and top bit of advice - like here, there are no such thing as stupid questions when it comes to studying. You are doing this for yourself (and paying for it) so make sure you get your monies worth from your tutor!

Steve

 

[miles_hot]

Miles
What year were you at Birmingham Uni? I studied Physics there too - 1991-1994!
BB I've still got my maths books - in fact all my books. I'll try and dig them out if Miles doesn't before me. But I'd start looking at some A Level books to be honest if you've not done maths for that long.
Cheers
Gidon

I was there a little before - '88 I think and was only there for a year having flunked the maths section of the course (fine on the physics).

Miles

 

[Doctor]

astro physics, piece of pi**

 

[miles_hot]

Byron

I seem to have either thrown my books out (very unusual) or placed them "beyond use" somewhere. Sorry!

I did a quick google and the following came up:
General list of books - good stuff in the Astronomy section
this seems a good starting place
I suspect that this these might be a little above where you need to be on day 1 but might be interesting never the less
this is a reading list for KCL mind you I have no idea what "elementary Lagrangian and Hamiltonian treatments of classical mechanics" might be so possibly this could be a back burning item for now? :roll:
This list is the recommended reading list for Astrophysics as Sussex

I'll stop there for fear of boring you to death with Google

Miles

 

[Mr T]

Hi

Isn't the internet a wonderful thing! A guy signs up for an astro physics course and gets help with his maths from other guys on a woodwork forum. Perhaps Brian May would have got his Phd sooner if he'd been on the UKworkshop forum!

Chris