Logical sequence of math topics

[icurays1]

I just found this forum and it looks great! I'm an undergrad Physics/applied math at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA.

I'm wondering if anyone has ever seen a kind of family-tree-type-deal of math topics. I have this problem with trying to read wikipedia articles and textbooks that are way over my head, but I never know what topics I would need to understand them. I feel like there are so many different subjects in math and physics out there that I could spend the next 10 years of my life taking classes and still only have scratched the surface. By the time I am done with my undergrad studies, should i be able to understand most of the stuff out there?

Looks like a long way to the top from where I'm at i guess. =p

 

[ice109]

the more you know the less you know

 

[slider142]

Here's a map of mathematics, although it's very brief in description: http://www.math.niu.edu/~rusin/known-math/index/mathmap.html

 

[icurays1]

That is perfect! Its not the easiest chart to use, but it certainly has lots of useful links.

Thanks! Now I can go find books that are only 1 step above where I'm at instead of 10.

 

[LukeD]

Wow, that is a confusing chart...

Icurays1: What exactly are you trying to learn and what do you already know? Someone might be able to help you figure out what topics to look into if we know what topics you're trying to get to.

 

[Diffy]

You can also try asking here. Tell us what you are trying to learn and plenty of people here will let you know what you should know, or what helps to know before pursuing.