"How can I deepen my knowledge in Mathematics without getting a degree in Mathematics? I'm an undergraduate student, I'm pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Computer Engineering. I had some exams about Mathematics (calculus 1/2/3, probability and statistics, algorithms and data structures, complex functional analysis). While I don't want to become a researcher/professor (I would like to be a Software Engineer) I also love Mathematics, and I feel like I always want to know more. Question: Which is the best way of studying on my own? Should I get some textbooks? Aren't textbooks suitable for those who are going to have an exam? Actually I don't know which part I would like to deepen the most, but I'm really amazed by the Riemann hypothesis. What would it take to understand a wrong proof?"

Zack Chase

Zack Chase

Answered question

2022-09-20

How can I deepen my knowledge in Mathematics without getting a degree in Mathematics?
I'm an undergraduate student, I'm pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Computer Engineering. I had some exams about Mathematics (calculus 1/2/3, probability and statistics, algorithms and data structures, complex functional analysis).
While I don't want to become a researcher/professor (I would like to be a Software Engineer) I also love Mathematics, and I feel like I always want to know more.
Question: Which is the best way of studying on my own? Should I get some textbooks? Aren't textbooks suitable for those who are going to have an exam?
Actually I don't know which part I would like to deepen the most, but I'm really amazed by the Riemann hypothesis. What would it take to understand a wrong proof?

Answer & Explanation

elilsonoulp2l

elilsonoulp2l

Beginner2022-09-21Added 9 answers

Not all math textbooks are designed for self-study, but a decent number of them are. You often won't find yourself with the answer key, but resources like Math StackExchange are always full of people willing to help folks who show a little enthusiasm and legwork.
If you had asked this question twenty years ago, I would have said that your best friend would be Dover Press, because they reprint great math textbooks in paperback in both popular and esoteric subjects and sell them at a significant discount. While this is still true, you will no doubt also find that you can get even more popular textbooks in PDF form for free on the web. That hits me a little bit in the morality, but there it is.
I think it's a great idea. As a pure mathematician who spent quite a while as a software engineer, your perspective will be a useful part of your team. Whether it is through coursework or self-study, I'd recommend that you get some discrete math under your belt like combinatorics and graph theory, because those modes of thought will aid in software design much more than the analysis side of math.

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