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> But Martin said that non-STEM students didn’t really need to learn trigonometric functions, which are used in satellite navigation or mechanical engineering.

> But Martin said that non-STEM students didn’t really need to learn trigonometric functions, which are used in satellite navigation or mechanical engineering. For me, trig has been the least useful math. I never once used it in college (2 years as a CS major, then an Econ major) or in the working world (tax lawyer, startup founder). I'm sure there are some jobs where it is irreplaceable, but this might be a minority of STEM jobs. Do biologists need to know trig?

ykonstant 3y ago
I once TA'd a Calculus for Business course; there were two fundamental differences between that and the regular course: 1) the problems and exam material were much easier and 2) it lacked any mention of trigonometric functions. When I realized the second part, I went to the instructor and asked: "Without the trig functions, how are they supposed to model and analyze oscillatory phenomena in business settings?". The instructor turned and gave me the biggest smirk I had ever seen.
- hnfong 3y ago
  Ironically they can only do that without the trig functions. Imagine asking somebody on Bloomberg how they would model and quantify the "economic cycle" using trig. :D
  - ykonstant 3y ago
    "W..what do you mean exponential growth is not the only dynamic?!"
    - tgv 3y ago
      Nah, they slap a few linear variables on it, throw that in a model that adds lag/time dependent variables, and they're ready to tell you the pendulum is starting to swing in the other direction.