[aerhardt]

I was taught linear algebra and multivariate calculus as a business major. They could hardly justify why they were teaching it in that context - they were weeder courses - but I always wished they had at least tried to give us a hint of applications. Nothing, it was all algebra for the sake of algebra. Atrocious.

[klysm]

I think the concepts of linear systems and multivaribale calculus are important for just understanding systems in general. Even without applying them all the time you can think about dynamics with them

[aerhardt]

Multivariate calculus is also useful in probability, which in my degree was rigorous too, and is broadly useful in business, so perhaps I’m being unfair about all that math not being useful in business management. I’m grateful because later I got a degree in software engineering… But the point about math being taught like shit stands; if calculus and algebra can be useful in thinking about systems they should make an effort to show it.

[klysm]

100% agree that mathematical pedagogy in the USA is in terrible shape. It’s a hard problem, but we can do so much better

[aerhardt]

This was in Spain, but I have no problem believing it's roughly the same everywhere in the world, with few exceptions.

[ozim]

I still would argue that weeder courses are fine. If you start as a major whatever the field is - you should be interested in the field enough to plow through.

Otherwise at the end you get people dissatisfied they cannot get job but they have a degree.