HOW MATHS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

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HOW MATHS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Degree opportunities in
Mathematics and Statistics
Chris Budd
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SOME COMMON VIEWS OF MATHEMATICS

• MATHS IS HARD
• MATHS IS BORING
• MATHS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REAL LIFE
• ALL MATHEMATICIANS ARE MAD!

None of this is true! Mathematics and
statistics are great subjects to study at
university and lead to a huge number of careers

INCLUDING HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!!
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MATHS AND CRIME
A short mathematical story

• Burglar robs a bank
• Escapes in getaway car
• Pursued by police

• GOOD NEWS Police take a photo
• BAD NEWS Photo is blurred

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Original
Blurred
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SOLUTION
Take the photo to a mathematician
g(x)
Original f(x)
Blurring h(x) f(x)g(x)

• Maths gives a formula for blurring convolution
• By inverting the formula we can get rid of the
  blur

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Processed image Image Processing
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Maths has made the modern world possible
. None of the following would work without
maths Mobile phones GPS
Ipods SATNAV CDs Radar Digital TV
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A few other examples .
Linear algebra, graph theory, SVD
Google
Internet Network theory Security Fermat, RSA
Error correcting codes Galois theory
Medical imaging Radon Transform Communications
FFT, Shannon Medical Statistics Nightingale
Mathematicians really have made the modern world
possible
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This could be you Maths is important in a huge
number of careers including Finance
and banking IT
Management
InsuranceRisk Weather forecasting
Environmental science
Code breaking
Medical imaging Teaching
Transport planning
Government Social
services Supermarkets and Food
Computer Games
Film industry!
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So .. Why might you want to study maths at
university

• Because you like doing maths, maths is fun!!!
  This is the best reason
• Because the challenge of doing hard mathematical
  problems teaches you problem solving and logic
  skills which are of great value to employers
• Because you want to be a leader in the
  technology of the future
• Because you want to get a great job
• 70 of all jobs want people with good
  mathematical skills
• Mathematicians have greater earning potential
  than nearly all other degrees

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What to expect in any university maths degree
Lots of maths!!!! Pure, Applied and Statistics
Computing and IT Possible industrial
placement Possible placement overseas Training
in thinking logically, to construct careful
arguments and to use abstract ideas
Key skills Presentations, reports, team work
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Bath Degree Typically 4 years long 2 years
study one year in industry 1 years study
(BSc) most popular 2 years study one year
study overseas 1years study 4 years study
(Mmath)
After your degree you can Get a job (Maths
students are very employable) Travel the world Do
further study MSc eg. In Climate Science Do
research in maths PhD eg. In differential
equations
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• Courses in the first year (Most maths courses are
  like this)
• All students do 5 courses per semester, two
  semesters
• Each course 3 lectures one tutorial per week
• 20 Contact hours Personal tutor time
• 100 hours per course including personal study
• Algebra Sets, groups, numbers
• Analysis Series, limits, continuity
• Methods Applications Calculus and
  mechanics
• Probability Statistics
• Programming Discrete Maths All in Matlab,
  Codes

Algebra and Analysis are new material with heavy
emphasis on PROOF
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Huge choice of courses in years 2,3 and 4 (other
universities are similar)
Modular assessment
Geometry
Mechanics Discrete maths
Group Theory Mathematical Biology
Computing

Numerical Analysis Mathematical Finance
Cryptography
Chaos Theory
Topology Fluid mechanics
Partial Differential
Equations Probability
Control Theory
Medical Statistics Galois Theory Logic
You can nearly always do courses in other
subjects too, eg. Economics, Chinese
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Assessment Most universities are very
similar Weekly Problem sheets in each
course Each Semester Exam for each
course Some courses have some course work eg.
Programming Some final year courses are ALL
course work Eg. Final year project
Usually have opportunities for retaking exams or
doing extra work
After 3 or 4 years you get a degree!!
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• Your degree is managed by a Director of Studies
  team
• You are also assigned a Personal Tutor
• What if I get stuck?
• Lots of other students to ask
• Tutorial sessions Groups of about 10
• Drop in help sessions Informal, varying in size
• On line notes and guidance and email to lecturer
• Personal tutor help Individual
• Student Counseling Student Support
  Individual

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How Do I Apply? All
students apply through UCAS Entry Grades
vary Bath A (Maths), A (Further Maths), B
(other), and 2 in STEP A
A A (other)
and no STEP A
A,A (other) and 2
in STEP Other universities may or may not
require Further Maths and/or STEP But ALL will
require a good performance in A level Maths You
MUST check on the University website Also .. DO
go on Open Days and ask lots of questions
Personal Statement We want to see evidence of
raw mathematical ability and a genuine interest
in doing maths at university Not much else matters
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What Happens Next? If you stay
on at university then you can go on to do
research in mathematics in a PhD. Lots of
students do this! Many universities spend a huge
amount of their effort doing research My own
current research is into the mathematics of
weather and climate But you could do number
thoery, differential equations, financial maths,
networks, . Maths Limitless possibilities and
unlimited career opportunities
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To find out more .. Have a look at
http//www.mathscareers.org.uk/