I want to say something to all of you..

[OrbitalConfusion]

I want to say thank you to everyone here. Over these past few years its been a great journey and one that continues. My endeavor to understand has hit 3 milestones and without you guys I would have never been able to wrap my head around some of the concepts that many of you may laugh at thinking they are so easy.

I started with math back in 2010. I thought maybe understanding math itself would give me some better view/understanding of the concepts that the super smart people of the world easily throw around. At the time I had maybe a highschool level of education in math. Each night I have spent a minimum of 30mins-1hr working on it. I have made it all the way to college levels and in some areas beyond. Working the theories and playing with the numbers has been really kind of a blast when you can attach them to something you can wrap your head around.

I cant say Math really did much in the way I thought it would, but it did open up a whole new way to think. If that makes sense to you...

Anyways, my journey started back when Orbiter was released. I played and played. I made it all the way to docking with the ISS. I did not do it by using math I did it by playing space cowboy. Once I understood how to manipulate things such as orbits and all i just space cowboy'd my butt to the ISS. It was then that the long time ago love of physics,science and space got rekindled. You all have been so very helpful helping me along, putting up with my foul attitudes at times and even dishing back some of my foul attitudes. It doesnt matter, You guys helped me and I am very thankful that this site is here. Thanks everyone.


I am now enrolled fulltime to go to college. I took the entrance test and passed it like a champ. You guys are awesome.

 

[dbeachy1]

Congrats on acing the college entrance exam! Enjoy the ride.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Congratulations!

I really think this is how math education should be motivated - present a challenge that requires math for success. Too often math is delivered as something unto itself, and the applications are rarely discussed.

I was a average to poor math student in college - until I started taking the engineering fluid mechanics and heat transfer courses that required maths. Then the equations took on a physical meaning that I could visualize, and that both motivated my understanding and made things much easier to understand.

Now I have a PhD and teach engineering. Who would have known?