college math classes?

[rp812]

I'm a freshman majoring in risk management and insurance at UGA and am interested in becoming an actuary. Which math classes would be the most helpful? I asked my advisor and she told me to google it.:skeptical: she wasn't very helpful. I already have AP credit for calculus 1 for science and engineering. Should I eventually take calc 2? Right now I'm enrolled in Introductory Statistics because I've never had any sort of statistics course in my life. Here is what the course guide for stats says if that is helpful:

STAT 2000 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS
Introductory statistics including the collection of data, descriptive statistics, probability, and inference. Topics include sampling methods, experiments, numerical and graphical descriptive methods, correlation and regression, contingency tables, probability concepts and distributions, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing for means and proportions.
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.

Should I take this? I'm really confused about all of this and I would really appreciate any kind of help!
thanks!

[mathRulez]

I'm a freshman majoring in risk management and insurance at UGA and am interested in becoming an actuary. Which math classes would be the most helpful? I asked my advisor and she told me to google it.:skeptical: she wasn't very helpful. I already have AP credit for calculus 1 for science and engineering. Should I eventually take calc 2? Right now I'm enrolled in Introductory Statistics because I've never had any sort of statistics course in my life. Here is what the course guide for stats says if that is helpful:

STAT 2000 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS
Introductory statistics including the collection of data, descriptive statistics, probability, and inference. Topics include sampling methods, experiments, numerical and graphical descriptive methods, correlation and regression, contingency tables, probability concepts and distributions, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing for means and proportions.
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.

Should I take this? I'm really confused about all of this and I would really appreciate any kind of help!
thanks!

You need to go ahead take all your calcs: I, II, and III (I guess you clepped out of of calc I). An introductory course in probability will serve you better than stats to pass the first exam (P/1), but I think calc II and some other stuff may be pre-reqs for probability. If you are unsure of the order of classes to take later, try browsing the website of a university that has an actuarial science program. (Some schools will post a typical 4 -year schedule of an actuarial science major.) First things first: get those calculus classes out of the way! Good luck!

[rp812]

OK. So I have credit already for this class:

MATH 2250. Calculus I for Science and Engineering. 4 hours.
Limits, derivatives, differentiation of algebraic and transcendental functions; linear approximation, curve sketching, optimization, indeterminate forms. The integral, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, areas. Emphasis on science and engineering applications.
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.

Would it be better for me to drop my stat course and take this one:

MATH 2260. Calculus II for Science and Engineering. 4 hours.
Prerequisite: MATH 2250
Vector functions, velocity, acceleration, and physical applications. Techniques of integration and differential equations. Applications of integration: arclength, volumes, work, center of mass; polar coordinates and Kepler's laws. Polynomial approximation and Taylor series. Vectors in three-dimensional space, lines, planes, linear functions, and determinants.
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.

or should I take some other math class?
If it is helpful, or if you are really bored..lol, this is the link to the list of courses offered at my school. (You have to type math into the prefix thing and click search).
http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/bulletin/courses/index.html

thank you so much for your help. i really dont want to take unnecessary math classes. :P
and to think...my advisor said I wouldn't need calculus.

[milky07]

I am in the same year as you are at UGA, and I am looking at becoming an actuary also. I am going the opposite way you are to the same destination. I am majoring in Statistics. Maybe we can help each other out when we start studying for the first exam. My user name is the same for my UGA email if you want to email me or find me on Facebook. (milky07)

[mathRulez]

OK. So I have credit already for this class:

MATH 2250. Calculus I for Science and Engineering. 4 hours.
Limits, derivatives, differentiation of algebraic and transcendental functions; linear approximation, curve sketching, optimization, indeterminate forms. The integral, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, areas. Emphasis on science and engineering applications.
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.

Would it be better for me to drop my stat course and take this one:

MATH 2260. Calculus II for Science and Engineering. 4 hours.
Prerequisite: MATH 2250
Vector functions, velocity, acceleration, and physical applications. Techniques of integration and differential equations. Applications of integration: arclength, volumes, work, center of mass; polar coordinates and Kepler's laws. Polynomial approximation and Taylor series. Vectors in three-dimensional space, lines, planes, linear functions, and determinants.
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.

or should I take some other math class?
If it is helpful, or if you are really bored..lol, this is the link to the list of courses offered at my school. (You have to type math into the prefix thing and click search).
http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/bulletin/courses/index.html

thank you so much for your help. i really dont want to take unnecessary math classes. :P
and to think...my advisor said I wouldn't need calculus.

It looks like your major does not require any calculus, but passing P/1 does. You can get away with not taking calc III (triple integrals), but you need to know how to integrate (calc II). Calc II would most certainly fufill your Area A math requirement for your core curriculum. You could go ahead and take the intro stats class too as it can fufill Area D of your core curriculum, and it will give you an introduction to probabilty distributions. Your major requires micro and macroeconomics and finance, and you can use these courses to fulfill VEE credit.

Check out the following link for more information on courses that will prepare you for an actuarial career: Be An Actuary

[herbmarino]

Yeah I would agree Calc II is definitely necessary for Exam P since you will need to know how to intergrate functions. You might want to also take Calc III so you'll have to know double intergrals for P and the Infinite series for FM.

[nyet!nyet!nyet!]

i took that exact stat class in my freshman year, thought maybe it can help me prepare for P exam. But nah,,its all different.
take Calc 1-3 and probability class. NOT statistics..

[mathRulez]

i took that exact stat class in my freshman year, thought maybe it can help me prepare for P exam. But nah,,its all different.
take Calc 1-3 and probability class. NOT statistics..

Intro stats will not help with P, but you need to become familiar with statistical methods later. Probability is usually a core requirement for math majors (meaning after calc), so you will not be able to take a probability class until later. Stats at the 2000 level is usually designed for non-science majors (like psych and nursing majors) who need a very basic understanding of descriptive statistics with no calculus. Even if you had no idea that statistics even existed, it is a very easy class. You can learn that stuff on your own, or you could earn an easy 'A' that fulfills part of your core requirements.