The Logic Off Topic list

Hi Joeri
Well I have my degrees in  mathematics and even published two papers in 
math, but I'm a bit rusty in the more advanced topics since I haven't 
dealt with them much in quite a few years. I usually teaching only 
through four semesters of calculus - none of the upper division or 
graduate stuff. 

> > Question: is this the kind of stuff one would have to study e.g. in a
> > bachelor business degree?
> > Reason why I ask this:  I had a math professor who made us study all
> > these things and I argued that this was a bit "over the top" for
> > business studies.

It depends on exactly what you are learning. From what you mentioned it 
didn't seem too relevant. However, I'm teaching business calculus now, 
and I hear that same complaint all the time. However, they don't know 
what they will later need in the professional workplace. Some financial 
analysts do use calculus or DiffEQ and make $300,000 a year. Others 
don't.  We do stuff with elasticity of demand, consumer surplus, etc. It 
seems pretty relevant to me.

Part of what you learn in math, like what you learn in philosophy or 
literature, is not a direct method you use the next day, but rather an 
ability to think more precisely and work hard to achieve a goal.

Do you want to share some problems you consider unnecessary?