- #1
Antisthenes
- 49
- 4
Just started studying math on my own, and noticed that my high school book in math contains word problems that are tricky because the book gives no instruction on how to solve them. Are these kind of "tricky" word problems common when studying to get a university degree in theoretical physics or astronomy?
I want to get a genuine understanding of quantum physics and cosmology, but I lack any special talent in math, and I really suck at solving tricky word problems. Therefore, it would be nice to know whether mastery of theoretical physics depends on a good ability to solve word problems that are "tricky" (in the sense that one is given almost no prior instruction on how to solve them).
Read the following article which says that many of the brightest high school students fail in STEM programs at college because they have not learned to be creative when solving tricky problems:
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/why-americas-smartest-students-fail-math/
Being able to solve new and daunting problems is important if one wants to become an engineer for example, but is this ability also essential if the "only" goal is to understand the more theoretical (and philosophical) aspects of physics and astronomy?
Have actually become addicted to math, but if it's true that many of the smartest high school students fail at university level math, then I fear that a math noob like me lack the IQ and mental agility to ever understand quantum physics and cosmology, no matter how hard I work. So hope it's not a fact that only those with exceptional minds are able to understand cosmology and theoretical physics.
I want to get a genuine understanding of quantum physics and cosmology, but I lack any special talent in math, and I really suck at solving tricky word problems. Therefore, it would be nice to know whether mastery of theoretical physics depends on a good ability to solve word problems that are "tricky" (in the sense that one is given almost no prior instruction on how to solve them).
Read the following article which says that many of the brightest high school students fail in STEM programs at college because they have not learned to be creative when solving tricky problems:
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/why-americas-smartest-students-fail-math/
Being able to solve new and daunting problems is important if one wants to become an engineer for example, but is this ability also essential if the "only" goal is to understand the more theoretical (and philosophical) aspects of physics and astronomy?
Have actually become addicted to math, but if it's true that many of the smartest high school students fail at university level math, then I fear that a math noob like me lack the IQ and mental agility to ever understand quantum physics and cosmology, no matter how hard I work. So hope it's not a fact that only those with exceptional minds are able to understand cosmology and theoretical physics.