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Re: Playing with math
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 5:19 pm
by Cm4F
I had one of those teachers who was fond of asking for the 6th or 7th term.
Re: Playing with math
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 12:18 am
by Sleet
That seems excessive for virtually any approximation model.
Re: Playing with math
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:17 pm
by fylwind
No one in physics cares about anything but the leading order term anyway. XD
Re: Playing with math
Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 1:00 am
by Squirrelboy265
It's similar in Engineering as well. Most of the time its using numerical methods until we get a solution that's probably "close enough" to the actual value. Plus the real world likes to shatter models with things like friction and low efficiency motors/pumps/devices.
Re: Playing with math
Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:26 pm
by Sleet
One of the biggest reality-shattering revelations for math nerds when they get to college is that there isn't a calculation you could realistically do that just a few digits of pi couldn't be close enough for.