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Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by zozbot234 on Friday February 11, 2022 @11:01AM (#30302940)
People skills? The informal prereqs/expected background for a class should be listed in the syllabus. Lack of "mathematical maturity" is a non-answer, they should make it clear what sort of math knowledge that refers to.
Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by patrickthebold on Friday February 11, 2022 @11:44AM (#30303555)
I disagree. 'Mathematical maturity', to me, means: There is no specific advanced prerequisite knowledge, but you need to be able to follow something technical.

As an example: you'd reasonably expect a student with mathematical maturity to know what a set, the Cartesian product of two sets, and a function are. That's high school level math.

From there you can define a ring and a module over a ring, in like 5 mins.

So at that point the Prof, strictly speaking, told you everything you need to know to start studying modules.

Of course, many students will be like whaaaaaa?! When a ring is defined. But here's the point: Mathematical maturity does not mean that you already know what a ring is, but when the Prof defines a ring, you are following along.

Anyway, my point is that there is nothing specific that you need to know.

Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by arthurmerlin on Friday February 11, 2022 @12:03PM (#30303802)
Mathematical maturity should be well defined if you are using it as a prerequisite. Mathematicians, of all people, should be good at coming up with such precise definitions.
Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by ghaff on Friday February 11, 2022 @04:16PM (#30307087)
It's not a precise definition (and I'm not sure how actionable it is) but it is a term of art. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_maturity

Some people are better with math than others. Undergrad math majors thought the major was pretty easy. Many of us in engineering majors--who weren't that bad at math (it was a good school)--could no more have graduated with a degree in math (or physics) than have flapped our arms and flown.

Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by gizmo686 on Friday February 11, 2022 @12:29PM (#30304211)
That is why they rarely list is as a prerequisite; and instead list specific classes that likely fostered it.

Any good definition of mathematical maturity would likely be so technical that you need mathematical maturity to understand it.

Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by woah on Friday February 11, 2022 @11:53AM (#30303669)
Isnt' that basic set theory as a prereq
Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by tapas73 on Friday February 11, 2022 @12:12PM (#30303957)
It's abstract thinking and ability to work with new math constructs on the spot.
Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by strikelaserclaw on Friday February 11, 2022 @11:11AM (#30303090)
Maybe the class did have pre-req? I mean i think it is obvious that a class called "Hard problems in combinatorial optimization" is aimed more at future Mathematicians/Computer Scientists than people who want to take it for the fun of it.
Re:Why won’t anyone teach me math? by gizmo686 on Friday February 11, 2022 @12:26PM (#30304153)
Mathematical maturity is a soft skill. You can't point to a particular technical skill that provides it.

Most colleges have classes designed to foster mathatical maturity, but that is done by how the class is taught, not what is taught in it.