Applied Math versus Math

Colleges & Universities Brown University
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<p>Thank you!</p>

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<p>This is so silly! I don’t know where to begin. I’m sure this was a joke, so no harm done. </p>

<p>Anyways, to the OP:
If you like math, you’re going to want to do both. If you’re in APMA, you’re not going to get out of proofs. They come up. Why do you think the APMA department teaches the graduate level analysis course every other year? Proofs are important no matter where you go in math. Try not to differentiate the two, and see math as a combination of airtight understanding and inherent application.</p>

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<p>@GoingToSpaceBRB</p>

<p>I believe the level of proofs depends on the course - we did absolutely no proofs in APMA1650 and only a few (relatively simple ones) in APMA1660. Some applied math courses will enable one to “get out of proofs.” With that said, so will some math courses (I don’t believe 52 did many proofs). At the undergraduate level, my understanding is that applied math is more likely to focus on methods than on rigorous proofs. At the graduate level, all bets are off, especially because the two departments share so many courses there.</p>

<p>I do agree that math is a combination of the two and that proofs are important (for mathematicians because it leads to understanding and to non-mathematicians because of the way of thinking it requires), and there’s absolutely no reason to take only pure math or only applied math, however. This is what I like about the CS-Math and CS-Applied Math concentrations. The former allows one to count 3 Applied Math courses to the concentration, while the latter requires pure math through linear algebra. Both have uses and lead to a greater understanding of mathematics as a whole.</p>

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<p>is starting off fall semester freshman year taking linear algebra (520) and the intro applied math course (APMA 350) absolutely insane?</p>

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<p>Difficulty-wise, it depends on your preparation. From the standpoint of variety, you have to be sure you’re willing to handle 2 lecture courses of this variety (with problem sets and then tests worth very large percentages of your grade.)</p>