Final year Mathematics Modules - most difficult?

Forum for the GRE subject test in mathematics.
Post Reply
Smythe
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:50 am

Final year Mathematics Modules - most difficult?

Post by Smythe » Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:56 am

I was just wondering if anyone had any opinions on which final year mathematics degree modules were generally considered the more difficult?

Or, alternatively, which were generally considered the least difficult?

Thank you! :D

APPLIED
Electromagnetic Theory
Quantum Theory
Advanced Numerical Analysis
Partial Differential Equations
Tensor Field Theory
Financial Mathematics
Dynamical Systems
Calculus of Variations & Hamiltonian Mechanics
Mathematical modelling in biology and medicine

PURE
Computer Algebra
Ring Theory
Set Theory
Convergence
Computer Algebra
Mathematical Investigations
Metric and Normed Spaces
Algebraic Equations

STATISTICS
Linear & Dynamic Programming
Stochastic Processes
Survival Analysis for Medicine
Statistical Data Mining

bptrumpet
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2011 12:49 am

Re: Final year Mathematics Modules - most difficult?

Post by bptrumpet » Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:21 pm

I know this is MANY months late, but if you still wanted an opinion and don't mind it just being about the those applied options (I'm assuming you're asking for consideration on courses for this fall ... and it's not too late to change since classes won't start for another month or so).

I'd throw my vote in for EM theory or the course on Hamiltonian mechanics as being the more challenging options from the "applied" list you have there, at least assuming the physics courses at your institution are taught at a rigorous level. EM will definitely allow you to work out your math muscles through the whole course ... grinding out all the problems in an EM book would be amazing prep for the algebra and calc stuff in the subject GRE.

Out of the pure stuff, I'd probably go with whatever you're least exposed to and forget about "how hard" it may be, just make yourself a bit more well rounded ... I'm sure any of it would help for eventual qualifying exams later on.



Post Reply