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Struggling with engineering and the maths

Hi there, I'm currently doing an engineering degree at university and I am currently struggling with it. I scraped through first year. However, I did not do A level maths. I did a level bio, chem and history.

I wanted to ask what can I do to improve my maths, what maths do I need?
Is there one book or any book I can study to help me become good at maths. I lack maths because I did not do it at a levels.
Original post by zeetwenty16
Hi there, I'm currently doing an engineering degree at university and I am currently struggling with it. I scraped through first year. However, I did not do A level maths. I did a level bio, chem and history.

I wanted to ask what can I do to improve my maths, what maths do I need?
Is there one book or any book I can study to help me become good at maths. I lack maths because I did not do it at a levels.


KA Stroud (both the normal and advanced versions) are the most commonly recommended books for the maths element.

The best way to get better at it is to keep doing it. Get worked solutions to the problems so you can see where you are going wrong if you're having problems.
Reply 2
Avatar for zeetwenty16
zeetwenty16
OP
Thanks for the reply means a lot.
Wanted to ask, in regards to the KA Stroud book, do you mean the normal one being Engineering Mathematics. Whereas, the advanced one just has the name advanced instead.

Also wanted to ask as I do not have any a level maths at all and I'm not the greatest at it. Will the normal KA Stroud engineering book cover me and set me up for the maths needed. Or will I have to get the foundation KA Stroud book?

Many thanks
Reply 3
Avatar for zeetwenty16
zeetwenty16
OP
Original post by Smack
KA Stroud (both the normal and advanced versions) are the most commonly recommended books for the maths element.

The best way to get better at it is to keep doing it. Get worked solutions to the problems so you can see where you are going wrong if you're having problems.


Thanks for the reply means a lot.
Wanted to ask, in regards to the KA Stroud book, do you mean the normal one being Engineering Mathematics. Whereas, the advanced one just has the name advanced instead.

Also wanted to ask as I do not have any a level maths at all and I'm not the greatest at it. Will the normal KA Stroud engineering book cover me and set me up for the maths needed. Or will I have to get the foundation KA Stroud book?

Many thanks
Reply 4
Avatar for Doones
Doones
21
Original post by zeetwenty16
Thanks for the reply means a lot.
Wanted to ask, in regards to the KA Stroud book, do you mean the normal one being Engineering Mathematics. Whereas, the advanced one just has the name advanced instead.

Also wanted to ask as I do not have any a level maths at all and I'm not the greatest at it. Will the normal KA Stroud engineering book cover me and set me up for the maths needed. Or will I have to get the foundation KA Stroud book?

Many thanks


Both books as mentioned by Smack. And there's no "foundation" book.

You should be able to get them from your library. Also you can obviously buy them on Amazon, but the latest editions (edition 7 and 5 respectively) are quite pricey. Look for the previous editions on ebay.

Edit to add: ah, wait, there is a Foundation edition too
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Foundation-Mathematics-K-Stroud/dp/0230579078/
Although a review says it's basically the same as the first parts of the original book.

Again, best to check them out in your university library.
(edited 7 years ago)
I will also suggest khan academy, he's pretty good at explaining complex stuff. He has videos on Laplace transform, convolution integral, vector calculus and I believe Fourier transforms too. That's like 60% of second year maths.


Posted from my phone, excuse my typo's
Original post by zeetwenty16
Thanks for the reply means a lot.
Wanted to ask, in regards to the KA Stroud book, do you mean the normal one being Engineering Mathematics.


Yes.


Whereas, the advanced one just has the name advanced instead.


The advanced one covers more advanced topics than the normal one. I'm not sure which is more relevant to your stage, hence why I have recommended them both.


Also wanted to ask as I do not have any a level maths at all and I'm not the greatest at it. Will the normal KA Stroud engineering book cover me and set me up for the maths needed. Or will I have to get the foundation KA Stroud book?

Many thanks


I'm not sure if there is a foundation book. A-level or equivalent material also might be of use.
Reply 7
Avatar for Paulxo
Paulxo
8
If you want something more 'foundational' then you might want to take a look at this.
http://amzn.to/2aR2E5N

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