Actuarial Studies with a Concurrent Diploma

[AzureBlue]

wait you've done them...already???

UMEP Maths, maybe?

yeah, ummm topics we're done:

- Numbers and proof
- Matricies
- Systems of equations (matrix heaven)
- Complex numbers (complex exponential)
- Vectors (dot, cross and tripple product)
- Functions of several varible ( planes, lines in three d)
- multivatible calculus (partial derivatives, multiple integrals)
- Vector spaces (linear dependence/ in dependence, defintions, linear transformations, eigenvectors) MASSIVE UNIT

That's just a general rundown of what we cover in umep, linear algebra/pure mathsy stuff defintely is empasised in the course..... vector spaces...... *dies*

Oh and they've taken out all that sequencea and series stuff out of the course.....

That's annoying, apparently a lot of calc went out too. I do remember hearing about methods of proof, vectors (inner products lol), matrices and eigenvalues.

[Ilovemathsmeth]

I HATE Linear Algebra. Those proofs make me nauseous. I have Lawrence as my lecturer. Any comments? I'm not sure, he seems angry most of the time...

I really dislike vector spaces/subspaces/spanning sets - to me, they don't really make sense.

[tram]

I HATE Linear Algebra. Those proofs make me nauseous. I have Lawrence as my lecturer. Any comments? I'm not sure, he seems angry most of the time...

I really dislike vector spaces/subspaces/spanning sets - to me, they don't really make sense.

YES WOOOOOOO SOMEONE THAT AGGRESS WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i have no idea about UoM lecturers....i do uni maths at the MGGS school centre so don't know any of the uni lecturers.....

[Ilovemathsmeth]

Ahh right wow so you don't need to attend the lectures - are you doing it from Melb Uni though?

And yeah, everyone in my tute hates Linear Algebra too.

[Gloamglozer]

I HATE Linear Algebra. Those proofs make me nauseous. I have Lawrence as my lecturer. Any comments? I'm not sure, he seems angry most of the time...

I really dislike vector spaces/subspaces/spanning sets - to me, they don't really make sense.

lol.  I'm in L.R.'s lecture as well.  I don't know why but I find him hilarious.  Yes, he is angry with the amount of the talking during and just before he commences the lecture, but he's still a good bloke.

Also, with proofs, if you're really feeling uncomfortable with them, I'd go to Deb's lecture at 9am.  Unlike Lawrence who uses notation and makes it assumed knowledge, Deb uses language we can understand to go through the proof.

[Ilovemathsmeth]

Really? Yeah L.R seems okay when you ask him stuff in person (done that twice) but yeah his proofs are just confusing. Maybe I'll attend Deb's lecture instead.

[TrueTears]

linear algebra isn't that pure, it's entirely applied, just shows how pure maths creeps its way into applied maths

[mark_alec]

linear algebra isn't that pure, it's entirely applied, just shows how pure maths creeps its way into applied maths

I would disagree.

Also, treating maths as the union of applied and pure, with a null intersection doesn't seem to be a useful or accurate dichotomy.

[TrueTears]

i've never seen lin alg as pure, maybe because it doesn't interest me in the areas i study, but yeah definitely some branches of maths has a union of both areas although the majority of branches starts with axioms and proofs which interests me as a pure mathematician. How useful or however you apply it gets boring after a while.

[kamil9876]

+1 mark, totally agree. Also would like to add that the whole "pure maths is about proofs, applied maths is about doing computations" is totally crap: for example Terry Tao mentions There’s more to mathematics than rigour and proofs while one of my operations research(applied math) lecturers said that "if you don't like proofs then you don't like maths, sure you may be able to integration by parts or solve DE's, but that isn't maths, that is something a computer can do". The dichotomy and false characterizations come from an incomplete undergraduate eduation. The linear algebra comment is an example; just give TT a year or so until he does some abstract algebra and his opinion will be totally different as he has probably only been exposed to playing around with matrices mostly for the sake of solving linear equations or using products to find angles between vectors.

the majority of branches starts with axioms and proofs which interests me as a pure mathematician

Although this is an important way to learn as an undergraduate, also note (read the terry tao thing I linked) that when it comes to doing something non-trivial, a key piece of intuition is sometimes much more valuable. A lot of mathematics was created before it was studied axiomatically (ie: you don't pull out random definitions out of your arse, you only make definitions after you see that an idea is useful/interesting, eg: lots of mathematicians did group theory before they had a definition of a group)

[TrueTears]

Although this is an important way to learn as an undergraduate, also note (read the terry tao thing I linked) that when it comes to doing something non-trivial, a key piece of intuition is sometimes much more valuable. A lot of mathematics was created before it was studied axiomatically (ie: you don't pull out random definitions out of your arse, you only make definitions after you see that an idea is useful/interesting, eg: lots of mathematicians did group theory before they had a definition of a group)

yeah that is quite true, however that's what bonds everything together, the 'experiments' that you do eventually gets formalised and that is what i mean, the starting point for most mathematics starts with definitions and fundamentals and proofs which you must know before attempting the more advanced HOW these definitions came about (which is what you are trying to emphasize), i don't really give a shit about, but the point is they form the basis of most (perhaps all) branches of mathematics.


Wow that tao post is nice, especially this one: http://terrytao.wordpress.com/career-advice/there%E2%80%99s-more-to-mathematics-than-grades-and-exams-and-methods/

When learning mathematics as an undergraduate student, there is often a heavy emphasis on grade averages, and on exams which often emphasize memorisation of techniques and theory than on actual conceptual understanding, or on either intellectual or intuitive thought.

that's so true, and this is how I feel about how monash (maybe other unis as well) teaches maths... it's so damn boring, wish i could skip it already

[AzureBlue]

BComm majoring in Actuarial Studies with a Diploma in Mathematical Sciences

Year 1
Sem 1    
Introductory Microeconomics (compulsory)
Accounting Reports and Analysis
Vector Calculus (2nd year) – cross-credit   
Principles of Business Law    

Sem 2   
Introductory Macroeconomics (compulsory)
Accounting Transactions and Analysis
Accelerated Mathematics 2 – cross-credit
Introduction to Actuarial Studies

Year 2
Sem 1   
Organisational Behaviour (compulsory)
Probability (compulsory) – cross-credit
Financial Maths I
Business Finance
Complex Analysis 3rd year (overload)

Sem 2   
Intermediate Macroeconomics
Statistics (compulsory)    
Financial Maths II
Corporate Law   
Group Theory and Linear Algebra (overload)

Year 3
Sem 1   
Actuarial Modelling I
Actuarial Modelling II
Financial Maths III
Algebra – cross-credit   
Graph Theory (overload)

Sem 2   
Contingencies (Capstone subject - 25 points)
Actuarial Statistics
Models for Insurance and  Finance   
Metric & Hilbert Spaces (overload)

WIN.

Do they offer any maths subjects in summer semester?

[Gloamglozer]

Do they offer any maths subjects in summer semester?

Since maths subjects are not very popular after 1st year, they are generally not offered over the summer.  The only maths subject I can think of that is offered over summer is Linear Algebra and I think that's mainly for engineers taking the Calculus 2 pathway through their respective undergraduate degree.

[AzureBlue]

Is it possible to stretch the DipMSc into your honours year, because in your honours year, you get 25 points of approved level-3 or level-4 subjects taught within or outside the Faculty of Business and Economics? Or must it be part of the normal 3 year BCom? If not, then it will definitely be an extra semester... unless I overload in all semesters in 2nd and 3rd year, which I don't think I want to do.

Also, how come in the course plans at (http://www.undergraduates.ms.unimelb.edu.au/course_advice/dip_math_sci/plans/commerce/actl.html), there are only 2 breadth subjects, as opposed to the 3 that are normally in the actuarial course plan?

[Gloamglozer]

Also, how come in the course plans at (http://www.undergraduates.ms.unimelb.edu.au/course_advice/dip_math_sci/plans/commerce/actl.html), there are only 2 breadth subjects, as opposed to the 3 that are normally in the actuarial course plan?

It says:

The following are typical course plans for students in the Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Actuarial Studies...

"Typical", not exactly, so I presume there is a little bit of leeway.