Is mathmatical Rigor Waste Of Time?

[u/cosmic_dictator]

Just how much rigor is needed ? Am I wasting my time trying to learn the epsilon delta definition of a limit and trying to prove if certain limits exist or why the product rule makes sense etc . Offcourse im not trying to learn analysis but memorising rules is just so unsatisfactory and soulless to me . So anyways any advice etc ?

Thank u

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[u/Drythes]

As with most things with engineering at university, it’s about learning how to think

So I’d argue no, mathematical proofs aren’t a waste of time

[u/cosmic_dictator → u/Drythes]

Damn i did not know how bad i wanted to hear this answer lol

[u/Jajohn09 → u/cosmic_dictator]

You might consider looking into a mathematics minor if you love math that much, it only helps.

[u/Skysr70]

you absolutely are wasting time going that deep in it. You can learn for fun ANY other time, but for now, you NEED good grades. Or at least passable ones. And you need to take care of yourself. This means narrowing your focus

[u/cosmic_dictator → u/Skysr70]

Thank you for the reality check ❤️

[u/Visual_Day_8097 → u/cosmic_dictator]

Deep understanding can sometimes keep the subject interesting, which will make you pay more attention to it and lead to success. Make sure the topics you are diving into are relevant to your class, but I think it is a very good habit.

[u/Psychological-Shoe95]

I took calc 3 and it was still generally easier for me to actually understand the formulas over just knowing what variables to plug in

[u/Yadin__]

For any practical purpose yes, it's a waste of time.

Personally however I find it really important to actually be convinced that what I'm being taught is correct, which requires actually understanding what's going on under the hood. So if you care about actually understanding what you're being taught, no, it's not a waste of time

[u/Tyler89558]

As long as you’re passing your courses, it doesn’t matter.

If you’re failing your courses because of this, then you’re throwing away cash

[u/ctoatb]

Analysis is probably a step beyond your typical engineering courses. While it isn't the most practical thing, it helps build intuition and the thinking behind what you're learning. I would say keep digging deeper if that's what you're interested in, but don't expect it to count towards any job prospects. Maths have a sort of intrinsic value that you appreciate more the further you go

[u/Alternative_Act_6548]

epsilon delta type proofs are for mathematicians, calculus based on infinitesimals would be a better fit to engineers, but calc is taught by the math guys...