HOW MATHS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE Chris Budd Degree opportunities in Mathematics and Statistics.
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Transcript of HOW MATHS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE Chris Budd Degree opportunities in Mathematics and Statistics.
HOW MATHS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Chris Budd
Degree opportunities in
Mathematics and Statistics
SOME COMMON VIEWS OF MATHEMATICS
• MATHS IS HARD
• MATHS IS BORING
• MATHS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REAL LIFE
• ALL MATHEMATICIANS ARE MAD!
None of this is true!
Mathematics and statistics are great subjects to study at university and lead to a huge number of careers
INCLUDING HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!!
MATHS AND CRIME
A short mathematical story
• Burglar robs a bank
• Escapes in getaway car
• Pursued by police
• GOOD NEWS Police take a photo
• BAD NEWS Photo is blurred
Original
Blurred
SOLUTION
Take the photo to a mathematician
Original
f(x)
Blurring
h(x) = f(x)*g(x)
• Maths gives a formula for blurring convolution
• By inverting the formula we can get rid of the blur
g(x)
Processed image : Image Processing
Maths has made the modern world possible ….
None of the following would work without maths …
Mobile phones
GPS
Ipods
SATNAV
CDs
Radar
Digital TV
Linear algebra, graph theory, SVDGoogle:
Error correcting codes: Galois theory
Internet: Network theory
Security: Fermat, RSA
Mathematicians really have made the modern world possibleMathematicians really have made the modern world possible
Medical imaging: Radon Transform
Communications: FFT, Shannon
Medical Statistics: Nightingale
A few other examples ….
This could be you: Maths is important in a huge number of careers including:
Finance and banking
IT
Management
Insurance+Risk
Weather forecasting
Environmental science
Code breaking
Medical imaging
Teaching
Transport planning
Government
Social services
Supermarkets and Food
Computer Games
Film industry!
So .. Why might you want to study maths at university
• Because you like doing maths, maths is fun!!! This is the best reason
• Because the challenge of doing hard mathematical problems teaches you problem solving and logic skills which are of great value to employers
• Because you want to be a leader in the technology of the future
• Because you want to get a great job …
70% of all jobs want people with good mathematical skills
Mathematicians have greater earning potential than nearly all other degrees
What to expect in any university maths degree
Lots of maths!!!! Pure, Applied and Statistics
Computing and IT
Possible industrial placement
Possible placement overseas
Training in thinking logically, to construct careful arguments and to use abstract ideas
Key skills: Presentations, reports, team work
€
x 2
a2+y 2
b2=1
Bath Degree: Typically 4 years long
2 years study + one year in industry + 1 years study (BSc) : most popular
2 years study + one year study overseas + 1years study
4 years study (Mmath)
After your degree you can:
Get a job (Maths students are very employable)
Travel the world
Do further study: MSc eg. In Climate Science
Do research in maths: PhD eg. In differential equations
Courses in the first year (Most maths courses are like this)
All students do 5 courses per semester, two semesters
Each course = 3 lectures + one tutorial per week
20 Contact hours + Personal tutor time
100 hours per course including personal study
• Algebra: Sets, groups, numbers
• Analysis: Series, limits, continuity
• Methods + Applications: Calculus and mechanics
• Probability + Statistics
• Programming + Discrete Maths: All in Matlab, Codes
Algebra and Analysis are new material with heavy emphasis on PROOF
Huge choice of courses in years 2,3 and 4 (other universities are similar)
Modular assessment
Geometry Mechanics Discrete maths
Group Theory
Mathematical Biology Computing
Numerical Analysis
Mathematical Finance Cryptography
Chaos Theory Topology
Fluid mechanics
Partial Differential Equations
Probability Control Theory
Medical Statistics Galois Theory
Logic
You can nearly always do courses in other subjects too, eg. Economics, Chinese
Assessment: Most universities are very similar
Weekly: Problem sheets in each course
Each Semester: Exam for each course
Some courses have some course work eg. Programming
Some final year courses are ALL course work
Eg. Final year project
Usually have opportunities for retaking exams or doing extra work
After 3 or 4 years you get a degree!!
Your degree is managed by a Director of Studies team
You are also assigned a Personal Tutor
What if I get stuck?
• Lots of other students to ask
• Tutorial sessions: Groups of about 10
• Drop in help sessions: Informal, varying in size
• On line notes and guidance and email to lecturer
• Personal tutor help: Individual
• Student Counseling + Student Support: Individual
How Do I Apply?
All students apply through UCAS Entry Grades vary
Bath: A* (Maths), A (Further Maths), B (other), and 2 in STEP
A* A A (other) and no STEP
A* A*,A (other) and 2 in STEP
Other universities may or may not require Further Maths and/or STEP
But ALL will require a good performance in A level Maths
You MUST check on the University website
Also .. DO go on Open Days and ask lots of questions
Personal Statement:
We want to see evidence of raw mathematical ability and a genuine interest in doing maths at university
Not much else matters
What Happens Next?
If you stay on at university then you can go on to do research in mathematics in a PhD.
Lots of students do this!
Many universities spend a huge amount of their effort doing research
My own current research is into the mathematics of weather and climate
But you could do number thoery, differential equations, financial maths, networks, ….
Maths: Limitless possibilities and unlimited career opportunities
http://www.mathscareers.org.uk/
To find out more .. Have a look at