Is Math Still Relevant?

Long ago, when I was a freshman in ­engineering school, there was a required course in mechanical drawing. “You had better learn this skill,” the instructor said, “because all engineers start their careers at the ­drafting table.”

This was an ominous beginning to my education, but as it turned out, he was wrong. Neither I nor, I suspect, any of my classmates began our careers at the drafting table.

These days, engineers aren’t routinely taught drawing, but they spend a lot of time learning another skill that may be similarly unnecessary: mathematics. I confess this thought hadn’t occurred to me until recently, when a friend who teaches at a leading university made an off-hand comment. “Is it ­possible,” he suggested, “that the era of math­ematics in electrical ­engineering is coming to an end?”

When I asked him about this disturbing idea, he said that he had only been ­trying to be provocative and that his graduate students were now writing theses that were more mathematical than ever. I felt reassured that the mathematical basis of engineering is strong. But still, I wonder to what extent—and for how long—today’s under­graduate engineering students will be using classical ­mathematics as their careers unfold.

There are several trends that might suggest a diminishing role for mathematics in engineering work. First, there is the rise of software engineering as a separate discipline. It just doesn’t take as much math to write an operating system as it does to design a printed circuit board. Programming is rigidly structured and, at the same time, an evolving art form—neither of which is especially amenable to mathematical analysis.

Another trend veering us away from classical math is the increasing dependence on programs such as Matlab and Maple. The pencil-and-paper calculations with which we evaluated the relative performance of variations in design are now more easily made by simulation software packages—which, with their vast libraries of pre­packaged functions and data, are often more powerful. A purist might ask: Is using Matlab doing math? And of course, the answer is that sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t.

A third trend is the growing importance of a class of problems termed “wicked,” which involve social, political, economic, and un­defined or unknown issues that make the application of mathematics very difficult. The world is seemingly full of such frus­trating but important problems.

These trends notwithstanding, we should recognize the role of mathematics in the discovery of fundamental properties and truth. Maxwell’s equations—which are inscribed in marble in the foyer of the National Academy of Engineering—foretold the possibility of radio. It took about half a ­century for those radios to reach Shannon’s limit—described by his equation for channel ­capacity—but at least we knew where we were headed.

Theoretical physicists have explained through math the workings of the universe and even predicted the existence of previously unknown fundamental particles. The iconic image I carry in my mind is of Einstein at a blackboard that’s covered with tensor-filled equations. It is remarkable that one person scribbling math can uncover such secrets. It is as if the universe itself understands and obeys the mathematics that we humans invented.

There have been many philosophical discussions through the years about this wonderful power of math. In a famous 1960 paper en­titled “The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences,” the physicist Eugene Wigner wrote, “The miracle of the appropriateness of the language of mathematics for the formulation of the laws of physics is a wonderful gift [that] we neither understand nor deserve.” In a 1980 paper with a similar title, the computer science pioneer Richard Hamming tried to answer the question, “How can it be that simple mathematics suffices to predict so much?”

This “unreasonable effectiveness” of mathematics will continue to be at the heart of engineering, but perhaps the way we use math will change. Still, it’s hard to imagine Einstein running simulations on his laptop.

Courtesy: IEEE Spetrum

By ROBERT W. LUCKY

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Geo127

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The Richest Person

Everyone on earth wants to be the wealthiest(*in all means) but some are achieving their goals & many are not.What is the reason for this phenomenon?Is that their headline have gone up or are they the most luckiest of all?What do you think?As I thought of writing this post the first idea that flashed in my mind is the 'secret ingredient of Mr.Ping's noodles,in the film 'Kung fu Panda'.Hope you got the point(sense).

 There are various reasons for a person to be the wealthiest* or the poorest* that is known to all.But most people quote the same ideas viz. hard work,luck factor,skills,hereditary etc.(in common).But is that all!!!What makes them "THEM"?The keen point that I find in them is their discerning power/ability,i.e their wisdom.What makes a man a 'Social being' among the living being?I think it is their wisdom & I believe it as a greatest gift as well as a greatest vain of all - given by God.Why because,through wisdom a person can judge rather an animal can't.Makes sense right!!!.Therefore a person needs to make the right judgement @ the right instant judiciously.

A person can be wealthy in terms of many means.Is that clause acceptable to you?If you agree then you can read the next part of this post.

Wealthiness can be on different forms*,in terms of money,power,deeds,knowledge etc.But that is not the point that I am going to tell you.I am thinking/taking it in a different prespective.You may be aware of the fact that money controls the world.Okay then have you ever thought of the question below?

Who is controlling our world?

If you have not,but then I have had many a times .

Since I am basically a thinker,I thought a lot about it & found a conclusion.I will  give a sec ,can you find an apt answer for the above question.If you have not got the answer I will tell you the answer.

In my small study I have understood that our world is under the hands of 3 major classes:

• Business magnets
• Politicians
• Celebrities(Actors,sports persons etc.)

The present world status confirms this fact.The halter of the world is being controlled by these 3 classes.But the real fact is that though the public knows this fact,they are accepting it with their closed eyes.

So now can you find the answer for my headline?If a person is wealthy(it terms of money & power) then he or she must be under any one of this category.Do you agree that?If not then please feel free to comment on the section given below.

Thank you for visiting the blog.And come again later.

Geo127

Freelance Blogger

onecentcafe.blogspot.com

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Developing Proper Qualities for Employment

 The major concern of a student studying in a college is to pass with high marks & secure a satisfactory job.This is also the concern of their parents. one of the major hurdles standing in the way of getting a job is the acquisition of proper job related skills such as communication skills, group process skills,presentation skills, event management skills & proper values & attitudes. Many colleges are conducting a variety of programs at great cost to develop these skills in their students. But, expecting a very few, most of these training organisations are not properly qualified or competent to give such training. The real fact is that many of these job skills can be developed by students themselves, while in the college without spending much money, obtaining good results. The following procedure is suggested to achieve this which can be tried by the colleges.


A Solution 

In the first year itself, divide the students in each class into groups of 10 & for each group nominate or elect a Leader & a Facilitator. In a class of 60 students there will be 6 such groups. Each group should have boys & girls, if available. Each group is expected to carry out different activities to develop leadership and other qualities among them. After every year, a new Leader & a new Facilitator will be nominated , thereby giving opportunities for more students to take up leadership positions. Give the opportunities and proper encouragement, it is found that students can come out with many innovations & novel activities. A spirit of healthy competition should be gradually developed among the groups in particular class and among various classes. Some duties and activities are suggested below for the groups as a guideline. Other activities and responsibilities can also be taken up depending on the imaginations and capabilities of the groups concerned.

Some Suggestions

• Developing proper value system and Code of Conduct among the members of the group.
• Inculcating good discipline among the members.
• Ensuring that the groups strives to enhance the goodwill & image of the college.
• Developing self confidence & leadership qualities among the members.
• Ensuring that the members speak only in English within the campus.
• Seeing that the class rooms and the campus are kept absolutely clean and tidy.
• Developing interest in sports and literature, fine arts, cultural and social activities among the members.
• Seeing that the members maintain punctuality in all matters.
• Ensuring that the members in their group are regulated in their studies.
• Helping the weak students to cope with their studies.
• Bringing to  the notice of the Principal any problem regarding any of the members.
• Inculcating Positive Attitude & Self Esteem among the members.
• Acting as change agents for the members of the group. 

In a college with 2000 students, there will be 200 diverse groups. If these groups work earnestly, somany innovations and changes can be brought to the present colleges and the name, fame and image of the institutions will definitely improve. The students also will be motivated to work with a definite goal.

Thank you for visiting One Cent Cafe & come again later.
Geo127

Freelance Blogger

onecentcafe.blogspot.com

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