Question:

Engineers please, do I need to love math to be successful in mechanical or civil engineering?

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I would love to design things, and I am teachable so I think I could learn the calculus, etc, but I wonder if it's necessary to love (or enjoy doing) math to enjoy being an engineer. Engineers, please share your thoughts.

Thanks.

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5 ANSWERS


  1. One word: Yes


  2. To be a successful engineer, you'll have to use math frequently.  You don't have to love math, but if you hate it, you will not be happy as an engineer.

  3. You do not need to love maths you need to love the idea of engineering. If you have a passion for it you will be able to do it. I'm not going to pretend but maths is a big part of engineering, but it should not be the reason if you want to do it or not.  Imagine designing an efficient  environmentally rail system in your city? Or the lighting display for a monument? Or a new prosthetic limb for amputees or war casualties? That is a worth while dream and maths should not stand in your way. As engineer you will work with different people from architects, inventors to doctors and every decision you make and or every discovery will impact hundred even thousands in their daily lives.

    So to sum up your success is not your ability to do maths its you passion because stuff like leadership, energy and the ability to inspire is what will make you sucessful

    Good luck

  4. Not many people love math for the sake of math alone.  You need to be teachable and willing to put in hard work.  If you are interested in the type of engineering which you are planning on studying, then the math will be worth it and you will not regret your decision.

  5. 2/3 of the engineers work in sales, project management, etc, and often can't do much beyond 6th grade arithmetic.

    The 1/3 that do design work mostly use algebra. If your good through algebra 2, should be OK.

    A few appliations require calculus, in a decent size organization, you can get a Phd or someone else good in calc to do it for you.

    In college (my degree is BSME), I used math through differential equations every day, all day. If you can't do some level of calc, you'll have trouble completing your degree. The summer after my junior year, I worked through every problem in my Calc book; everyone else was rusty, and I had a big advantage my senior year!

    I have been in small organizations, where I had to do a lot of my own calc. At least life is an open book test, so you can look online, pull out your texts, etc. to get it done.

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