I am 60 and I have returned to math. I understand math now better than when I was in my 20's. The concept of derivatives and integration does not bother me at all. Math is great.

Beyond the fact that it is interesting, for us over 50 there is the benefit of keeping the mind young and healthy.

I'm 33 and started a Computer Science degree. In the degree we've got tons of math courses, and i'd say i enjoy these math courses much more than when i was in high school and I'm even considering doing a Master's in Math (will need to catch up courses ofc). One of the biggest reasons is that at this age and with the much more mature mental capacity, I'm able to appreciate the beauty of math, rather than learn the arithmetics and tricks just to pass some exams like back in high school days.

I dont know if there is an age limit on learning new mathematics, but Im pushing 40 and have recently began an undergrad degree in mathematics and Im having the time of my life.

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

I really hope there isn’t! I just turned 40 and there is a whole lot of math I still want to learn!

This is great! I’m 28 and I’ve held myself back from learning because of other commitments, though a potential career change into data science is gonna force me to do the work.

It depends on how fast your brain is getting old Mental exercises slows down this process

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

You don’t need to be fast. Just consistent. And doing things like mathematics puzzles can slow the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Staying active intellectually is very important as you get older.

@holyshit922

5 ай бұрын

@@JoelRosenfeld It seems that you didnt read my first sentence completely Everybody is different and brain is getting old in different rate As physical exercises helps to keep the body in health mental exercises helps for the brain Alzheimer's desease or dementia is another story English is not my native language and I had it nearly a quarter century ago (when I used to go to school) and since that time I am on my own so there might be language mistakes in my sentences

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

@@holyshit922 ah you are right. I interpreted your comment differently. My apologies

I am 30 years old in final semester of MSc mathematics( only advance courses no dissertation) have completed first levels courses in Analysis and measure theory, Topology, Algebra ( except Galois theory and related topics) other than that calculus, DEq, some applied maths like Laplace and Fourier transform( not theoretical part). My question if I begin my journey for PhD from here onward what do I expect ahead of me? Even though I want to study for passion but still are there any chance that I enter in academic by 37-38 year old. Edit : it’s clear that I started mathematics late but apart from that some Dramas in my life affected my mindset and commitments. But now I am confident my math passion is what I value & get joy from.

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

It depends on where you are. If you are in the U.S., the fastest route to a PhD would be to remain at the same institution which would add about 3 to 4 years. If you change institutions, then you are looking at starting over and taking 5 or more years. If you want to be a professor at an R1, then expect to do a couple of postdocs first and even then that’s not a guarantee. This could be another 3 to 6 years of work. If you are aiming at a small liberal arts college, then that route can be faster, but make sure you take whatever opportunity you can to teach full classes while a grad student. You might need to do a visiting assistant professor position first, which would be another three years out of your PhD

In my state we can take tuition free classes at the local university after age 60. I’m a retired engineer and finished introduction to proofs last semester with a fantastic professor in a small class of math majors. Enjoying Abstract Algebra this semester. Your videos are inspiring and tips on studying mathematics have been helpful. Thanks!

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

That is awesome, and I’m glad my videos can help! A great way to spend retirement.

I feel this video perfectly addresses my current life stage and situation, thanks. Perfect timing

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

I'm glad you like the video! It's never too late. It's just a matter of committing the time.

When I was in school, my parents and teachers would laugh with my ability to learn mathematics, because I was a girl. And for science in general, girls were expected not to be good at it. I remember one time in chemistry class when I was 16, I asked a critical question, the whole class laughed.; only to be followed up by a guy in my class asking the most basic question - I remember thinking "duh, that's the whole point" - and having this class attentively listen! This was 20 years ago but it still works up my nerves. Anyway, lately I've been getting back into mathematics because I've always liked mental calculation, but I was told by my brothers that this has nothing to do with being good at maths. I've also briefly studied philosophy at university (but I quit because I believed I may not have been smart enough), and the mathematical puzzles there are quite similar to a course I had called Logic, which I loved a lot! Long story short, I think I may have been a bit of a geek all along but have been discouraged from seeing it as an option due to my sex.

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

I’m sorry you faced discrimination. Certainly, a woman can math just as much as a man. Frequently, my best students are women. They tend to be more organized and in math, that’s half the battle. If you are getting back into math for fun, then one thing you might enjoy are Martin Gardner’s books. He ran a math column for Scientific American for decades and there are tons of compilations of his articles that are a joy to read.

This is kind of a let down. I won't divulge much of my info but I completed my post graduate in 2018, and now I am going to do a Ph.D in math. Also I am in my early 30s. During these 6 years I was looking for a job that was geared towards math graduate but unfortunately, I couldn't find any because the market really doesn't value those with a pure math background. I am going to do a Ph.D because that's my only option now if I want to make a career out of math. But it seems like this path towards academia is going to be really rough. I don't think I would get an actual job as a math professor until I'm in my mid 40s.

@JoelRosenfeld

3 ай бұрын

There are a lot of opportunities open to you as a mathematician, even a pure mathematician, and especially with a PhD. After getting my PhD in pure functional analysis, I went on to work as a postdoc in a mechanical engineering lab working on problems in control theory. I have also seen students go into PhD programs for engineering after a bachelors in mathematics. Many of my cohort have also gone on to become actuaries. As far as academia goes, that's a long haul. And a bit risky to pursue. You'll face poverty and unemployment frequently until you get a TT position, and even then you have to fight for tenure. A more secure route would be to work at a national laboratory, such as Sandia, Los Alamos, or Argonne. They pay their postdocs what an incoming assistant professor usually makes, I think it's 80k or more now. And if you do well, there is a good chance of being converted to staff scientist (and make much more). National laboratories let you focus on your research, and don't distract you with teaching and service work. It can also be a much more stable route to tenure, where if you have a established a robust and effective research career at a national laboratory, you can sometimes apply directly for tenured positions at a university. For now, seek out as many internships as you can at national laboratories. Find groups that do things you are interested in and reach out to them now, so you can cultivate relationships that will hopefully lead to employment on graduation. There is also the NSA, which is the largest employer of PhD mathematicians in the country (world?). They pay six figures out the door, and after a three year training program, you will have access to mathematics no one else in the world does.

I have a bachelor degree in CS, graduated last year, I want to apply for masters in mathematics, I sent numerous mails to univ and got "no" from almost every1 while some told me to apply, but I am not sure whether I will clear their criteria or not as I don't have courses like analysis and algebra, but I self studied a decent amount of both atleast to understand higher level courses. Can u suggest me some univ to do masters in europe (excluding UK), it would be very helpful. I have done six courses namely, calculus and laplace, game theory, linear algebra, operations research, probability & stats, discrete maths & graph theory. Thanks for reading.

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

The thing that is making the programs reticent is the lack of core mathematics courses, such as Algebra and Analysis. I am most familiar with US universities, where I would usually advise taking those classes as a non degree seeking student. I have seen that sort of approach be successful in the past. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of experience with the European university system to give you specific advice there

First, I love your material. Everything from surviving your Phd to Real Analysis. So, I hope that you read this comment, because I don't know how to email you. I am 54 years old. I am graduating from college this May. I am applying to graduate programs in mathematics. So far, I was accepted into a master's program and am waiting to hear from one of the doctoral programs I applied to. My goal is to be a math professor. I guess that I can be 60 with a Phd or without a phD.

@JoelRosenfeld

3 ай бұрын

That’s great! Good luck on the acceptance to the PhD program. What sort of math are you looking to study?

@avigailhandel8897

3 ай бұрын

@@JoelRosenfeld Thanks! One of the nice things about the master's program is that it really covers both pure and applied math. Long involved story. tl;dr: I had worked with someone on a theoretical take on the thermodynamics of normal liquids, so my initial aim with a math major was in the service of that research, but an elective course in number theory changed the direction of my interests. Right now, I'm leaning towards some combination of topology, real and complex analysis, and algebra. I just took Baby Rudin out of the library...

Really good peptalk video delivered; but unexpected. Totally cognotoxic title, really made me bristle--just being honest! Recommend reissue with other title, after learning whatever you can in this as testrun. Horrible news to learn all your peers turned into calculators in high school, a dearth of late bloomers really stereotypes the field, and makes the future look bleak. I am a typewriter, you see. I hope we don't all turn out to be paperweights !

You can learn math at an older age, but the problem is you're not going to get to the top due to how much you need to know to be able to compete.

@JoelRosenfeld

5 ай бұрын

Certainly, and I even say as much in the video. But I’m not saying you can become a top mathematician starting from any age. What I’m trying to get across here is that you can still learn math at any age. Whether or not getting to the top is a problem really depends on your overall goals.

@user-kf5uz6rw4w

2 ай бұрын

You don't need to be the top to do what you enjoy. How many famous singers/actors are actually not that talented? 😂

@johngrimes412

2 ай бұрын

@@user-kf5uz6rw4w Let me remind you that the topic was about being too old to learn math. You can get better at learning math at an older age for the average person, but only people such as myself on the Autism Spectrum are going to enjoy topics like math in itself. I don't recommend it to the average person due to the high opportunity cost--you need to know a lot of math before it hits a critical mass of being useful to justify learning beyond curiosity. External rewards are only at the extreme ends for the externally motivated people. Even solving a big math problem isn't going to provide much after you go through all the steps and have to wait years to get approved/discovered by the right people, etc. Only if you figure out your own application like a faster crypto miner, then it becomes a worth-wild external reward.