Do Engineers use Math at their jobs? - A question that every student has.

@abrakadabra • Oct 27, 2024

Oct 27, 2024

3.8K

If you're an engineering college student who apparently hasn't fell in love with Maths or are having a hard time getting past the basic equations, brackets, derivatives, integrations, calculus etc. - you definitely have this question stuck in your mind - Where in my life at work would I have to use Integration and Calculus? You definitely don't hear people from work discussing that they solved a lot of difficult maths problems. In fact, it is very rare for most professions.

But, at some point of time - you have also heard or read that As an Engineer you have to LOVE math. Every day in every way. Just like your engineering toolbox, Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus are the essential weapons you will always need.

So if that question does linger in your mind sometimes - You can remember examples like - Mathematics is the basis for analyzing stresses in a building.
You need to know the calculations for the amount of earth to be moved to build a road.
Numbers about the exact length of beams to build a bridge.
The aerodynamic forces on an airplane.
The cost of materials to build anything.
The amout of fuel needed to get a rocket into orbit.
The forces on the suspension in a car.
The flow and pressure in a hydraulic circuit.
The forces in gears in a motor.
The transfer of heat in a refrigerator.

I think the examples are endless. But there still lies the debate about where exactly do practicing, professional engineers use mathematics at work?
Please speak out in the replies

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Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Dec 1, 2012

If one is actually doing hands on engineering, then maths will be used. If the person is managing, supervising, marketing and such, then may not.
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ISHAN TOPRE

@ishan-nohePN • Dec 1, 2012

AbraKaDabra
But, at some point of time - you have also heard or read that As an Engineer you have to LOVE math.
For many Math is an arrange marriage. But it has to be learned with its background in mind. Presently I am only interested in learning how to do complex integrations. Transforms help me in that. That is the farthest extent of my math. (I am poor here too) I do agree with #-Link-Snipped-# sir.

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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Dec 1, 2012

I've always loved basic math [ addition and subtractions ]. Everything else gets 'boring' because no one tell us the practical applications. But addition and subtraction is used in our daily lives - in counting.

I wished the professors could first tell the interesting applications of derivations, integration, Laplace transforms and so on before even touching the subject. Sadly, most of the professors start solving problems on the board telling students the 'steps' they've to follow to solve the problems. I often slept in my Math classes (engineering) because a board full of weird symbols made no sense and it wasn't funny.

It was out of my own curiosity that I found out several interesting things about math. Those who're really interested in math (not the higher mathematics) should open a book on Vedic math. It brings the 'fun' back to the otherwise boring topic.

But to answer the question - yes, a lot of engineers do use math (the hard-core advance math) in their jobs.
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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Dec 2, 2012

Yes we do for calculating take home salary every month which varies 😀 Comparing with other companies and calculating taxes 😛
Yes we do, if we have to write any program it needs logic and it needs numbers.
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Gandalf

@gandalf-RPhbu3 • Dec 2, 2012

Yes Math is used in our daily lives as developers , we derive logic's from the knowledge of maths we had from Our early engineering life
Though we don't realise we use probabilistic calculations in our life daily

May be buying some goods off your vegetable Market or using a Coupon at a Online store , we always back of the mind compare prices involuntarily
😀
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Umesh Kumar Rai

@umesh-kumar-rai-BBwnLk • Dec 2, 2012

Well, mathematics is a vast field. No body uses all the mathematical concept, except addition, substraction, multiplication and division.
They do use different mathematical concept in their respective profession.Like if you are pilot, trigonometry, coordinate geometry is the main area. If you are in Mechanical engineer, then differentiation, integration or multiple integration are used.
For computer engineers, Probability, set theory, etc. are used.
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Anoop Mathew

@anoop-FRTf1L • Dec 3, 2012

Well, Mathematics and Programming are always used in Engineering. I never knew I had to use Macros in Microsoft Excel to convert one table format to another and integrate into a company based spreadsheet, but using engineering mathematics and Visual Basic Programming. I felt like a Secondary School student when I received this problem at first! 😨
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asekeen

@asekeen-aYNti4 • Feb 4, 2013

You will mostly use excel spreadsheet software like <a href="https://structuraldesignspreadsheet.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The domain name structuraldesignspreadsheet.com is for sale</a> in your practical work. But to tackle different problems that's when engineering needs to be its best.

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khushboo goplani

@khushboo-goplani-OhkHhQ • Feb 4, 2013

so dont u think dat
Umesh Kumar Rai
Well, mathematics is a vast field. No body uses all the mathematical concept, except addition, substraction, multiplication and division.
They do use different mathematical concept in their respective profession.Like if you are pilot, trigonometry, coordinate geometry is the main area. If you are in Mechanical engineer, then differentiation, integration or multiple integration are used.
For computer engineers, Probability, set theory, etc. are used.
there shudn't be 11th 12th sci...d person shud directly focus on engineering concepts n his field
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Jeffrey Arulraj

@jeffrey-xA7lUP • Feb 4, 2013

khushboo goplani
so dont u think dat
there shudn't be 11th 12th sci...d person shud directly focus on engineering concepts n his field
Nice views Buddy But being a communication enthu I need Fourier and Laplace transform in almost every wave fronts.
In my opinion I would not neglect math or science. They are most needed for any individual atleast for those whose are going to pursue their own stream of studies
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Ashish Bardhan

@ashish-tTbOgV • Feb 4, 2013

For Programmers, Math is always there for making an efficient algorithm.
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Ashish Bardhan

@ashish-tTbOgV • Feb 4, 2013

Even for the people who are into research work, have to deal with advanced maths (sometimes with modern algebra and calculations) in order to prove the correctness of their work.
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Ashish Bardhan

@ashish-tTbOgV • Feb 6, 2013

Moreover, Maths is also required during Placement Preparations to solve those Aptitude and Puzzle questions. 😛
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CE Designer

@ce-designer-BWq0yl • Feb 7, 2013

It depends on who hires you and what type of work they assign to you. In my experience the old guys had a way of building things without doing calculations but by making good guesses. As an engineer i do not feel comfortable making guesses. I need the numbers to back me up. So every chance I get to use math in my job I am happy because I very rarely get the opportunity.
Instead I find myself using my degree to give advice and to answer questions.
If you have a challenging boss then you are lucky.

But hey, when life gives you lemons: if you don't get the opportunity to use math then build your theoretical base in the meantime.
I use math every time I design something. Whether its a tank, pulley or gear-drive, system, a shaft, a pressure vessel or a wall crane. I design right down to the nuts and bolts. I work for and oil company who also have their own machine shop so I consider myself lucky. There is so much more to learn.
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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Feb 7, 2013

I have just one thing to say for all of you who have such a question in mind.:

"Engineering is impossible without maths".

without this it is just art and crafts.

well yes we may not be using advanced math such as z-transforms, complex numbers, or fourier transforms, but the basics, such as matrices and calculus surely are put to use.
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CE Designer

@ce-designer-BWq0yl • Feb 7, 2013

Even though most of us don't use the higher math in our jobs doing them as part of our degree is not a loss but a plus for us. It helps us build and hone our problem solving, analytical and critical thinking skills. Now these are skills we definitely use all the time as engineers.
So in that way all engineers use math on their jobs, in an indirect way. It allows us to drill down into the heart of problems and see things that others won't. It allows us to connect the dots and find patterns and sequences that cause or can cause problems.
These skills you have as an engineer and you may not even realize it. Its thanks to math.
I hate when people tell you "You will never use this in your job so you don't have to learn it well" or "All you have to do is pass the exam cuz its a one time thing"
Those are extremely bad advice to engineers. I wish someone told me this when I was doing my degree otherwise I would have had a better attitude toward it. A better attitude would have made it more fun and exciting and I may have learnt more.
Everything you do and part of your degree and training will help you.
Take it from a fellow engineer who has gone through he process and is working now. Cherish every single course you do.
You may be a mechanical engineer in an oil company, so chemistry will help you be the best you can. You may be a mechanical engineer but you boss may as you to assist in rolling out a new software in the factory or shopfloor that would reduce paperwork and make documentation processes more efficient, so some IT would help. Cherish everything and do your best in everything!
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Umesh Kumar Rai

@umesh-kumar-rai-BBwnLk • Feb 12, 2013

khushboo goplani
so dont u think dat
there shudn't be 11th 12th sci...d person shud directly focus on engineering concepts n his field
Well, in XIth, XIIth you learn basics of mathematical with more detail as compared to IXth or Xth. Now when you go to engineering, there is advanced mathematics of the mathematical concepts. e.g. you have learned, matrix and determinant in XIIth, now you will again study the same concept in your first year of engineering, but with advanced concepts like higher order matrices, etc. So in school time, you learn basics and in engineering, you learn its advanced concepts.
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