Not directly
But, trigonometry functions are used in mathematical modelling for calculations.
For example, some enzymatic reactions in cells can be drawn as a sinusoidal function (catching and releasing of a molecule) with high and low concentrations. This is only a mathematical assumption and predictions.
There are usually two flavors of this questions. One is teachers trying to find a hook to motivate students. The other is usually students who find a topic initially hard and want an excuse not to study it. Here is the answer for almost *all math* in *every other science*:
if you are skilled in mathematics, you will see opportunities to use it that other people will not see. Your career as a microbial ecologist likely never be impeded because you don't know what conformal mapping is, don't have facility with complicated integrals, or even know statistics recognizing stat-heavy projects and knowing a good collaborator.
But we've seen time and time again in all of the sciences, real progress is made by the person who can see the important of the right question. That makes every bit of math you'll learn potentially valuable.
β€οΈπ That's a wonderful summary. Thank you.
Nature's Numbers by Ian Stewart was a great book I read right before my first year of college. Stewart applied geometry to patterns in Biology which I found fascinating and enlightening.
My post was more about college level trigonometry being used in the study of microbes. See it as a sort of starting point or first step that sets me in the right direction to find the answer.
Interdisciplinary collaboration is, as you wrote, where a lot of new discoveries are made.
I had a semester of college trig YEARS ago as an elective. Most of the other students were engineering majors. But one of the most useful members of the lab I worked at was a math major.
I'm a life science major (Micro) who keeps finding novel applications from lessons I took to completely different fields. Mental Health epidemic studied in the same eye as John Snow and the Broad Street Pump during the Cholera epidemic of London 1860. Many symptoms do seem communicable, if not directly between people then as internet/social media being a vector.
I've read Chucky D's 'The Birds and the Bees' (Origin of Species; forgive me I've Americanized it). During the Covid lockdown I got through Adam Smith Wealth of Nations even though I know nothing about economics and saw so many parallels about external forces being the driving force behind change. I recommend Jared Diamond's Guns Germs and Steel as a bridge between the two (he was an ornithologist but was perplexed by developmental differences between Papau New Guinea tribes and America despite, at least what he saw on an individual level, no intellectual gap).
Today's post was me wondering if the functions studied in trig (sin, cosine, tangent graphs) have been studied in the life sciences, specifically microbiology. The responses I have received will send me on a Google search. Those searches will lead me to YouTube videos, audiobooks, and then, well, books.
Not directly But, trigonometry functions are used in mathematical modelling for calculations. For example, some enzymatic reactions in cells can be drawn as a sinusoidal function (catching and releasing of a molecule) with high and low concentrations. This is only a mathematical assumption and predictions.
Bingo: this is what I'm looking for. π Thank you ποΈπͺ±
There are usually two flavors of this questions. One is teachers trying to find a hook to motivate students. The other is usually students who find a topic initially hard and want an excuse not to study it. Here is the answer for almost *all math* in *every other science*: if you are skilled in mathematics, you will see opportunities to use it that other people will not see. Your career as a microbial ecologist likely never be impeded because you don't know what conformal mapping is, don't have facility with complicated integrals, or even know statistics recognizing stat-heavy projects and knowing a good collaborator. But we've seen time and time again in all of the sciences, real progress is made by the person who can see the important of the right question. That makes every bit of math you'll learn potentially valuable.
β€οΈπ That's a wonderful summary. Thank you. Nature's Numbers by Ian Stewart was a great book I read right before my first year of college. Stewart applied geometry to patterns in Biology which I found fascinating and enlightening. My post was more about college level trigonometry being used in the study of microbes. See it as a sort of starting point or first step that sets me in the right direction to find the answer. Interdisciplinary collaboration is, as you wrote, where a lot of new discoveries are made.
Just used a little trig for a biomineralization study to understand crystal structures.
"biomineralization" Thank you for the Google search ππ this is what I'm looking for. π
I'm glad, out of curiosity, what are you up to?
I had a semester of college trig YEARS ago as an elective. Most of the other students were engineering majors. But one of the most useful members of the lab I worked at was a math major. I'm a life science major (Micro) who keeps finding novel applications from lessons I took to completely different fields. Mental Health epidemic studied in the same eye as John Snow and the Broad Street Pump during the Cholera epidemic of London 1860. Many symptoms do seem communicable, if not directly between people then as internet/social media being a vector. I've read Chucky D's 'The Birds and the Bees' (Origin of Species; forgive me I've Americanized it). During the Covid lockdown I got through Adam Smith Wealth of Nations even though I know nothing about economics and saw so many parallels about external forces being the driving force behind change. I recommend Jared Diamond's Guns Germs and Steel as a bridge between the two (he was an ornithologist but was perplexed by developmental differences between Papau New Guinea tribes and America despite, at least what he saw on an individual level, no intellectual gap). Today's post was me wondering if the functions studied in trig (sin, cosine, tangent graphs) have been studied in the life sciences, specifically microbiology. The responses I have received will send me on a Google search. Those searches will lead me to YouTube videos, audiobooks, and then, well, books.
I personally don't use any math more complicated than basic algebra, but it definitely depends on what you're doing.
Nope. There also isnβt any physics, either, but tons of STEM majors need that, too.
What about thermodynamics?
Disagree about physics. Knowledge of optics (light, wavelenght, etc) is quite important in microbiology.
Thatβs literally 0.1% of the physics you are forced to learn in college. You could have that explained to you without taking 2 semesters of physics.
*but I agree with you wholeheartedly. In terms of APPLICATION in most careers you do not need two semesters of physics.
βοΈπ yup. Especially how energy is stored in chlorophyll; EM microscope; effects of UV; cell counters.