I'm interested but...

[deep_space_1]

I'm interested in space and such but i'm not very good at math. Is there any hope for me?

 

[glutomoto]

You don't have to be good at math to be a good observer, and fortunatly observing is fun.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Slate]

My math sucks yet I have learnd much in hanging out here at SDC. Just dont let the crazy get a hold of you common sence goes along way here. BTW hiyas every one Ive been gone along time glad to see things still alive and cooking <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[tomnackid]

I never liked math for math's sake, unfortunately most math teachers do and that is the big problem in math education.<br /><br />I have found that if you really enjoy an activity you will more or less painlessly pick up any math that is needed for it. I bet very few carpenters enjoyed math classes in school, yet they spend their days adding and subtracting fractions, calculating areas and perimeters etc. If you asked them if they do math they would say "No, I do carpentry--duh."<br /><br />I myself got a D in calculus I am embarrassed to admit, yet I ended up doing a masters thesis that relied heavily on calculus. It just made more sense when it was applied to something I was interested in.

 

[craig42]

Yes, that is what calculators and computers are for.

 

[yurkin]

Not if you want to be in the professional engineering or science fields of space and such.<br />But math is no difference then any other skill. Natural aptitude makes up less then 1% and the other 9/10th is practice.<br />

 

[JonClarke]

You don't need to be good at maths to have a career in geology or biology, both of which can lead to working in space - related fields. There are other skills which are more important in these fields - ability to observe, organise information, see linkages, formulate and test ideas, to write well. I have had a good career in science and failed year 11 maths.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Yes, that is what calculators and computers are for.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Calculators are invaluable for arithmetic; when it comes right down to it, an aptitude for 6th grade math really isn't all that important even in the most advanced of science disciplines, although all us laypeople tend to confuse arithmetic with the really interesting stuff in math. What you really need to understand are the *concepts* of mathematics. Use the calculator for computation, but understand how it works, when to use it, and what equations to plug into it. That's what's important in math. Being able to find the square root of 15834 in your head is a neat trick, and it's good to be able to do it on paper if you have to, but what's really important is being able to understand when you actually want to know what the square root of 15834 is. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[formulaterp]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>But math is no difference then any other skill. Natural aptitude makes up less then 1% and the other 9/10th is practice. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />What about the other 9%?

 

[josh1943]

looks like math isnt someone elses best skill............ jk<br /><br /><br />anyway there are huge number of jobs supporting the space program. most have little math in them. some that you would think was math intensive arnt at all. ie just think of all the programers nasa and any other aerospace company hires. they need allmost any other feild someone can go into. best thing to do if you want to be part of it would be find what you like doing and then find a job doing that in the aerospace indy.

 

[yurkin]

<font color="yellow">What about the other 9%?</font><br />It was my feeble attempt at humour I have failed. <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><br /><br />Seriously though. You won’t use math that much in a lot of space field jobs. But in order to get a science or engineering degree and actually get those jobs your going to be doing a lot of math.