h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My interest in math extends to Chaos theory, catastrophe theory and higher dimensions. I have a fractal generator and an extensive collection of irrational numbers.

I spent the better part of thirty years working in the aerospace industry as a technician. The rest of it in electronics manufacturing. I have done just about everything when it comes to making things electronically, testing them and fixing them.

Not familiar with Bistromathics though (is it some inside joke??).

As a keeper of keys within the 26 dimesional universe I have the experience of handling the weight of choosing which of any thing is real, I understand the issues of real vs imaginary. Mostly I just give up and call everything real until they are otherwise proven not.
I have no key that gives me Truth so dont ask for it..

That's pretty cool! I'm really interested in muliple dimensions, though as a college freshman I haven't been able to study it very far (but I plan to). Bistromathics is this new form of math that Douglas Adams made up in Life, the Universe, and Everything, founded on the principle that numbers in restaurants behave differently than numbers anywhere else in the world. The recipriversexclusion, he said, is a number whose existence can only be defined as being anything other than itself, and a common example is the number of people for whom a table at a restaurant is reserved. The whole thing about the cross product of the real and imaginaries was just me making up random stuff and tying it into Hitchhiker. (Though I do wonder--what would you get if you had another axis coming out of the real-imaginary plane?) I just love playing with numbers; they're like toys!

Are you an engineer? (Or do you work with engineers?) The reason I ask is that I'm playing with a number of different ideas as to what I want to major in at college. I'm thinking of going into computer engineering, but I'm not really sure. I love playing with math and physics, but I also want to participate in the more practical side. But anyway, nice to meet you!

I am a washed up aerospace technician. I worked on many aerospace programs like the space shuttle but I haven't worked there in decades.
I am back in University in the hopes that I can find a supervisory position somewhere where I dont have to actually do the work part but can just offer my encouragement, control the flow and occasionally tell the subjects they are doing everything fine.

With nearly thirty years in the business I must be good for something.

As far as math is concerned I have flunked out of calculus twice!
But I have an intuitive understanding and I follow developments in Chaos theory, Catastrophe theory, knot theory. I also am well read in String theory, so what if I cant actually do the math.

You will find that the real world is so much different than university just get your degree! If you go on to masters level or God forbid a PHD then your career will be decided by then, little chance to change things at that time. So if you like those things go for it.

My point of view is that interdisciplinary classes work better than any other to get a real understanding of how things really work. Universities are not a good place to find them though, because of the politics of the university system. In the real world computer engineers are the newest plague on the workforce. Someone told the university recruiters they were needed and by now there is a flood of them out there, pay scales going down as we speak. Find a niche and work it to death then you'll be needed but be carefull which niche you may find that you're not needed. The world doesn't care if you succeed you must though. I could tell you some stories about first year engineers that would curl your..... well not now. Enjoy your years at school.

String theory, knot theory--you're making me drool just thinking about them. There's a class on knot theory that I'm dying to take, and I have to wait two more years before it will be offered again (I couldn't take it this term.) By the way, what's the difference? I know knot theory has to do with knots of various dimensions and whether you can untie them in various other dimensions, but what is string theory?

String theory has nothing whatsoever to do with Knot theory sorry to confuse you.

String theory is the latest and greatest physics idea that would tie all of the forces of the universe into one grand unified mathematical equation. It requires the use of 10 dimensions but the ultimate smallest part of matter isn't matter at all but some incredibly small string that vibrates at a particular frequency, some opened, some closed but all smaller than a neutrino or photon.

The theory that ties them all together in my mind though, is Catastrophe theory another small (but growing) area of mathematics that examines Qualities not quantities. It describes how things can suddenly change without going through any metamorphosis. Again using a multi-dimensional matrix. Rene Thom developed it in the 1960's from a study of topology. Mathematicians have used this theory to describe sudden changes in social events, economic events, political events, and even sudden changes in physical properties. It seems like a very powerful paradigm but still controversial and not accepted by most math people (because it describes qualities not quantities). String theory is similarly powerful and controversial, and part of the reason why I like them both.

I just dont have the mental ability to go through the rigorous mathematical proofs. There is an elegance about them both that suggests there is truth there though.